


Take Me As I Lose Control

by SteamyTaiZhen



Category: Carole & Tuesday (Anime)
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Age Difference, Aged-Up Character(s), Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Anxiety, Aphrodisiacs, Awkward Dates, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Blow Jobs, Boss/Employee Relationship, Canon Bisexual Character, Car Sex, Creampie, Depression, Dialogue Heavy, Dirty Talk, Dirty Thoughts, Dom/sub, Drugs, Drunk Blow Jobs, Drunkenness, ESL, English is my second language, Forbidden Love, Foreplay, Friends With Benefits, Hand Jobs, Horny Roddy, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced BDSM, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Light Bondage, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, M/M, Masturbation, Masturbation Interruptus, Mental Health Issues, Minor Original Character(s), Moaning, Mutual Masturbation, My First AO3 Post, OOC towards the end, POV First Person, POV First to third switch I'm sorry I'm a trash writer, POV Third Person, Porn With Plot, Possessive Behavior, Power Bottom, References to Depression, References to Drugs, Rimming, Scars, Science Fiction, Semi-Public Sex, Sex Toys, Smut, Sugar Daddy, Suicidal Thoughts, Wet Dream, headcanons, implied exhibitionism, really long sex scenes, semi cucked
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:22:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 65,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22963846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteamyTaiZhen/pseuds/SteamyTaiZhen
Summary: As a young adult at the peak of his career, Roddy begins to realize that he feels this intense sexual attraction towards Ertegun. Which is a problem because he's his favourite employer. What is Roddy to do when he doesn't want to jeopardize the good working relationship and friendship he currently has with Ertegun amidst the burning lust?Written because I couldn't find smut of this ship, so I made my own.
Relationships: Ertegun & Roddy (Carole & Tuesday), Ertegun/Roddy (Carole & Tuesday), Roddy/Spencer Simmons, Roddy/Tuesday Simmons, Spencer Simmons/Roddy
Comments: 14
Kudos: 87





	1. Now I Feel This Way

**Author's Note:**

> • Roddy (and only Roddy) is aged up to around age 20 (for conscience and plot related reasons, but I also legitimately thought that he was 23 to 25).
> 
> • This was written to take place after the part 2 finale, so be sure you've finished the show because there will be lots of references to Part 2.
> 
> • Italic sentences are usually Roddy saying things to himself in his thoughts or out loud, depending on context.
> 
> • As of the date this was written, I don't know whether or not the series will continue, so I wrote it as if that were the end and added my own headcanons and theories wherever I thought they made sense, however if the series does continue, my ideas might become invalid.
> 
> • If you are here for the smut, this is the list of chapters withOUT it: Chapter 3/7/8/10/11? everything else has what you're looking for. ;)
> 
> • I plan on making Doujinshi pages of this, please tell me in the comments where I should put that up!
> 
> • Hope you enjoy my first AO3 fic!

A hand on his shoulder, but placed firmer and much differently than any other time it had been there. Without a hint of platonic intention. He felt the gentle brush of his boss' goatee on the back of his neck and the vibrations of his sultry voice in his ear confessing this: " I only love capable men and attractive women, so pull yourself together, Roddy."  
  
 _Huh?_ Roddy thought. He told Roddy to pull himself together. Basically, that was encouraging him to become a more capable man. Which sort of made it seem like he was telling Roddy to become more like his type to further become attractive to him. So that was pretty much flirting, wasn't it?  
  
 _No._ Ertegun was his employer and employers always want their employees to improve, that's a given norm.  
But then again, Ertegun isn't exactly a _normie_ , go figure. That's not a term befitting of the greatest and richest DJ on Mars.  
  
 _But he likes men, too, right? So that means..._ Roddy vigorously shook his head, dug his fingers into the crimson fluff he called hair, grasping at his skull, wondering why his thoughts wandered where he didn't want them to. Or where he thought he didn't want to.  
  
 _Ertegun..._ Roddy sighed and before he knew it, the hand he had placed over his mouth let an index slip into his mouth, unintentionally sucking on the tip.  
 _What am I doing?!_ He tried to banish those perverse thoughts out of his mind, but it was just filled with _Ertegun, Ertegun, Ertegun._ Flustered as he is, the more he tried to calm down and get those thoughts out of his head, the more he fantasized about it. It's been invading his mind more and more as of late and his work only recently started to be affected by it. Roddy was now randomly spacing out whenever he tried to push those impure thoughts out of his head.  
  
" Roddy!"  
  
And that voice made him snap out of it. _Yep_. No way any blood was going to be rushing anywhere it didn't need to be.  
  
" Sorry, Gus, did you say something?"  
" You seem a little out of it today. Don't tell me my girls are boring the hell out of you?"  
" Ah! No! No way, that's not it, I'm just distracted!"  
" Ertegun is it?"  
" Huh?! What?" Roddy couldn't help but yelp a sort of word vomit.  
" You've been doing a lot of work for Ertegun lately."  
Gus took a deep sigh and looked in the direction of Carole and Tuesday, who were in the soundproof studio beyond a one way glass, talking to each other about Tuesday's parts of the song, judging by how Carole seemed to demonstrate notes Tuesday copied.  
  
" After working for that guy all this time, I'd figure you might've picked up some tricks from him."  
  
 _Oh. Right. That's what Gus meant. I mean, he can't read minds after all, right?  
_  
" I hope the guy isn't giving you more work than you can handle."  
Roddy composed himself and sat up straight.  
" I did pick up on how he produces music, but I just need to get the hang of it. It's not like I can't do it or anything like that."  
" That's what I like to hear! Don't sweat it, take your time and if anything, we could always call someone else in to help. I don't know who, but I can probably find someone." Gus smiled and patted Roddy on his head, much like a parental figure would.  
" But for now, I'll leave them in your capable hands."  
Gus turned away and walked towards the exit. That's right, he was heading out to get everyone some drinks and already knew everyone's usual order: Earl Grey tea for Roddy and Tuesday, lattes for Carole and himself.   
  
Just as he opened the door, an itching question made Roddy speak up.  
" Gus... Am I really that capable?"  
" What kind of question is that? Of course you are. And not just for your age. You're doing pretty well even compared to someone a decade older than you are."  
For a second, Roddy's face lit up, but only solely for that fleeting second.  
" If only you could find yourself a girlfriend, you'd be all put together! Ahahah!"  
And with that, Gus made a clean exit. _As if you're one to talk_ , Roddy whispered under his breath. But that wasn't his main concern. His thoughts immediately flood again with Ertegun.  
  
Ertegun is usually seen with women at his side, and hanging around him in his pool, and hanging onto him for dear life as Roddy walked into his house on some of the scarce and rare times Ertegun forgot an appointment with him.   
  
There were just three occasions on which he had caught the notorious womanizer with a man.   
Once, at a fancy restaurant, a date with some small business owner during which Roddy had to interrupt because of urgent work related matters, but his _so-called boss_ had turned off his phone.   
The second time around, he had gone to Ertegun's house early one morning only to see a young man, an up and coming DJ like Ertegun, but not that much older than Roddy himself, leave the bedroom in nothing but the black signature "Who Am I?" T-shirt, greeting him and making his way to the kitchen to serve himself breakfast, while telling Roddy that Ertegun had just gone to sleep not too long ago and that it would be a while until he woke up.   
The third time, Roddy had gone to one of the DJ's shows for work. He was kindly offered a ride home later, and he went to the limo's parking spot early, only to catch the man screwing some guy, a social media influencer, who was amongst the crowd enjoying the show, and then, enjoying the DJ's... Lower endowment.   
After which, he dared not step foot in that specific limo ever again, so he went and walked home that night, but it was an hour long walk.  
  
  
Carole and Tuesday finished recording three new songs. The last one took long because they made it up on the spot and Tuesday had a hard time coming up with the right chords to fit in with the piano. Now Roddy had to go home and work with these recordings, but didn't know where to start. Ertegun was who he learned from, so it was impossible not to think about him, and thinking about that devilishly handsome bastard made him feel strange feelings he didn't want to feel.  
  
  
 _I should be more professional than that..._ He thought. Of course, Ertegun was his friend and so was Gus, Carole and Tuesday. Roddy had many friends and close acquaintances that he worked with. But the girls were pure, sweet angels. Gus was Gus and the others, well, he just didn't think about anyone the way he did Ertegun.   
_  
I mean, he's the only one whose house I visit where I have to worry about walking in on him naked. Well, that's a lack of professionalism on his part if he exposes himself like that to me so much. Hold on... Is he doing this all on purpose?  
_  
The idea never really crossed his mind. Ertegun had outright flirted with him before. Hands on his shoulder(s) on multiple occasions, the deep, gentle whisper in the ear, the winking, saying his name, " _Roddy, Roddy, Roddy..._ " Over and over and over again with a mischievious yet gentle smirk. What did it all mean? There was just something very wrong that Roddy didn't like about the idea of the mere possibility of Ertegun making moves on him. It had nothing to do with neither the professionalism nor the age gap. _That's right..._  
What's wrong is the way he treats his sexual partners. He uses them, or they use him and then they usually drifted away from each other if it wasn't a one night stand. That's what it is to sleep with the biggest musician on Mars. A sure way to never see him again. If not literally, at least not the same way. He liked being close to Ertegun. He liked being someone he could rely on. He liked... Ertegun?  
  
 _No, that can't be, right? I could never... He couldn't like me either, as well... Maybe he actually wants to sleep with me and get it over with? I've been working for him a lot, so he might just be trying to get into my pants so that he could find an excuse to stop seeing me and after all, he knows I work for a bunch of other people, so he wouldn't need to feel bad about me not finding any work...._   
Of course, he tried to rationalize it all in his head but everything he came up with sounded just... Whack.  
  
A hundred questions flooded his mind. What if he _could_ sleep with Ertegun? Should he _try_? Does he _want_ to? How would that _ever_ even begin? What would that be like? What kind of foreplay would he be into? How would he do it? Would he want a fellatio? Does he like it slow or rough? What's his endurance like? It must be pretty good since he's quite fit and keeps in shape, right? How does he do dirty talk with men? Does he have a kink? What positions does he like best? How does he behave afterwards?   
  
Roddy's heart and mind were on fire, the thing he wanted to avoid most was happening: before he knew it, he had shoved a hand down his pants and was rubbing his throbbing member up and down vertically over his underwear.  
  
 _Mmhn.. uuhhhu... Uhwhah! Ah! Hah! Ahhhh... Ugh...  
_ He hated the way his voice slipped. With his free hand, he pulled his collar up to his mouth and bit his plain white t-shirt as he took his pants and underwear off, resuming what he was doing and near shamelessly jerking off in his armchair.  
 _E-e...Ertegun! Mmmph!_  
He cringed a bit at his voice letting these embarrassing sounds slip, or rather, he was embarassed that he let such a name slip his lips at a time like this.  
  
He wondered, what kind of sounds does Ertegun make during sex?  
He didn't need to wonder, merely to wander into his memories and remember. He _had_ heard him make sounds during sex because he walked in on it quite a few times, with a couple women and that one man.  
His grunts, his sultry chuckle, his deep voice echoing like heavy footsteps in a large empty space, asking "Do you like it like this?" along with other things of the sort, sometimes he would talk dirty in his regular voice that he used so often to seduce people or casually flirt and... and...  
  
Roddy's mind buzzed with the pleasure of viciously jerking off while fantasizing about one of his employers, no, not just any employer, he had a strange attachment to this one and an attraction that grew the more he got to know him. He had a soft spot for this man and only now finds the will to admit it, or rather, lacks the will to deny it. He tightened his grip with each stroke and felt an electrifying feeling in the nerves of his toes, he set his feet on the arm rests of the chair and felt a jolt traveling up his nerves and his spine, forcing him to arch his back, and now, was stuck between a state of uncontrollable arousal and a fear of literally falling backwards.   
  
_Haaaaaah.... Uuuuwah... E...er... Erteg...un....  
_  
 _Ring ring ring_  
That was his cell phone ringing.   
  
_C-crap! Ugh! Hah! Ahh... Almost...!_  
Roddy ignored his phone, not even looking at it and let it go to voicemail.   
  
He received a second call, but he kept ignoring it and it rang for a solid minute. Roddy just kept stroking as hard as he could and struggled to breathe evenly because he would sometimes hold his breath everytime he thought he was on the edge.  
He immediately received a text, but only briefly glanced at it because it was charging and standing upright much like the throbbing hard-on he wouldn't let go of at the moment.  
  
Ertegun's name appeared and now Roddy couldn't take his eyes off the screen. There was a preview of the message as a notification.  
  
" Pick up. It's important."  
That's all. It seemed so serious, so he felt _just a bit_ of guilt for not picking up _just because_ he was masturbating.   
  
However, picking up would have been much worse. He felt his rush go down a bit and stroked himself harder and faster, more tenaciously, to make up for it and feel that same level of excitement again. He tried switching it up a bit by using his free hand to rub two fingers across the tip, where his fluids started leaking, and just kept swiping across it as he was stroking with the other hand. He picked up the pace a bit, getting himself settled and into the mood again when his phone started ringing again. It was an obnoxious ringtone and it would ring for an entire minute if he tried to let it go to voicemail, so instead, he just tried to reach for his phone using his foot and reject the call.  
  
 _Ahhh.... Er.... Ertegun.... I.... Er... te... gun... Mmngh...  
_  
" Roddy? You feeling okay?"  
" Ah!"  
He accidentally answered the call. Propping his foot up onto the table to reach for the phone triggered a jolt that made him feel even better, so he couldn't aim properly at the "reject call" button.  
  
" Roddy? Roddy, are you alright?"  
" Ertegun..."  
He still had his dick in hand and slowed down but couldn't stop.  
" Ahh... I... Am not f-feeling too w-well... Uh..."  
  
 _That's a lie._  
  
" You do sound a little off. What's wrong? I'll send you some medicine if you know what's wrong."  
" F....feverish... A very.... Ah... Very light fever... Ahhn... A-and t-tired... Uh... Mmph..."  
" I'll send you something, then."  
" Ngh... No thanks, I'm... I'll be fine tomorrow af- uh... After some s...rest... "  
" Okay, I'll trust you. But I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow night is when I'm holding the fundraiser party at my place... Well, of course you already know that, but I wanted to swing by at your place and pick you up."  
" Hu-uh? Re-ally? Wh-why is th-tha-ahh-t?"  
" Well, I'm a little behind on preparations and I'd like us to work on some of the setup tonight. You see, I wanted to get this done at night since the lighting will be the same as during the event, so it'll be the ideal time for a test run. And perhaps... You could sleep over and we'll get an early start tomorrow continuing preparations."  
 _Sleeping over... I wish I could sleep with him... No... that's wrong, I can't think like that.. and I'm jerking off while talking to him right now! I have to avoid sleeping over... I don't want these thoughts taking over me when I'm there...._  
" Mnghhh... I... Don't...know..."  
" If you're only a little under the weather, it'd be nice to have the company to nurse you back to health a bit, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
Roddy couldn't stop stroking himself and he let out a soft gasp before thinking of a response.  
  
" I might ahhh... Need rest.... Only that... Y-yeah...ah!"  
That last word came not from a natural reaction to his sentence, but to a false alarm for an orgasm. He was reaching pretty close as his strokes got more intense.  
  
" I'm in the area... It'd be no big deal to pick you up. Besides, if you slept over, you'd cut down on your travel time by staying until the party. You'd make less trips, you know."  
" Ah... I... Uh... Mmmm... Don't live _that_ far.... I could just go home and... Ah... come bahh...ack the next day..."  
" You kind of live on the other side of town. I really want to make sure things are easier for you so that you can do your job alright."  
" Mmmhn... On second thought... Ahhh can you maybe... Uh... Aahhn... Perhaps find ah... Substitute? I.... Ah... I'll give y-you some mmhn... names if... Ah... You'd... Like..."  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy, didn't you know?"  
 _Ba-dump_ therewas the pounding of his heart. When this man says his name like that, it just sounded so damn sexy that it made his heart beat harder, as if it were stomping.  
  
" Uuu... Wha-aht?"  
" You're my right hand man. So, that means that I _need_ you."  
 _Stop. Stop saying these things that'll make me more feverish, more lascivious, losing all control and restraint to the point I'd do something as depraved as this, or even more so than this, if that's even possible!  
  
_ " N-no... You don't... I-I can f-find you ahh... Ahh replacement, so, aah... Don't worry... I'll make sure... _Mmhn_! They're up to... Speed."  
" No way, it _has to be you_. We did all that prep work together from scratch, so you're more familiar with the stuff. Besides, it'd be too much to actually show someone all that in less than a day."  
" I kn-know so-ahh....some pretty competent people..."  
It was getting more and more difficult to tug at himself while finding composure, but Roddy was finally managing.  
  
" Or maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to hang out with _you_ , Roddy."  
  
" Hwa?!"  
And with that, he tightened his grip and fell over forwards, losing all that composure he had worked up, slamming his other hand onto his phone, hanging up and coming, shooting his semen underneath his desk. He wouldn't stop jerking faster and faster and each time he tugged upwards, he shot more towards the bottom of his desk and his toes scraped the floor as he bucked his shivering hips.  
  
 _Ahhhhh! Ertegun! Ertegun! Why'd you have to... Aaahh!! Say it like th-ahhhhht! Ahhhn! Ertegun! Uuhn! Ertegun! Can't.... I... I just can't stop! Haaah! Ahhhn! Uwahh! Ahhhn! Out of control! I... Really... Can't...! Mmph!_  
Roddysqueezed out one last spurt and panted in relief.   
  
_Haaaaah.... Haah.... Ahhhh... Amaaazing... What... did I just do?  
_  
His mind was a complete blank.   
He slowly lowered himself to rest his head on the desk and let his mind drift off in ecstasy, trying to get his thoughts together.  
  
 _Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap! CRAP!  
_  
Absolutely _shOOk_ by the sudden realization of what he just did, Roddy's mind started racing into a panic.   
  
He looked at his phone again to read a text message:  
 _I don't think you're okay, I'm heading over right now.  
_  
As if Roddy weren't already anxious enough, on top of that, the subject of his fantasies was about to burst through that door and there was no way of stopping him since they had access to each other's homes. In a panic, he cursed himself for not using any tissue and just splattering all over the underside of his desk. He grabbed paper towels from the kitchen with window cleaning fluid because it was all he could find. He wiped, sprayed and wiped again under his desk, along with whatever dripped onto the floor and scoped the surrounding area for any stragglers to clean. He cleaned up the mess alright and balled up the paper towels, shoving them all into his trash can, tying the trash bag up and shoving the can under his desk for it not to be seen, if by chance, the man ever tried to walk into that office space.  
  
However, his underwear and trousers unfortunately had been completely soiled during his climax and there was a knocking at the door.  
That knocking was for the sake of being polite, of course, the all mighty Ertegun would come busting into the apartment in the next ten seconds.   
  
Roddy was in front of the door with a crumpled pair of soiled pants in his hands, his eyes darted around the room for something that he could do to cover up this mess: a towel and a water bottle. Thus, he made the split second decision that instead of running to his room to get a new pair of pants, he tossed the pair he held under the couch, then grabbed the water bottle, soaked his face with some water and wrapped the towel around his waist just in time for Ertegun himself to walk in.  
  
" Roddy, you hung up all of a sudden, so I was worried. You seem to be fine, but are you?"  
" I... Uh... Ahh... Well... I was getting a little overheated, so I was going to take a shower..."  
Ertegun walked up to Roddy and put the back of his hand against his forehead.  
  
 _I'd like to have that hand elsewhere right now... No... Don't think about that. I've already gotten off today, I don't need to let my brain go in that direction again. Ahh, my chest hurts. Am I having a stroke?  
_  
" Doesn't seem like a high fever. You're a little warm, so I think you might be right about it being light. You are sweating a lot, though. I thought it'd be much worse by the sound of it, so I'm glad it's only to this extent." He sighed in relief and rested his hand on Roddy's shoulder.  
  
" I'm sure I could've just trained someone to..."  
" I wouldn't know what to do without you. You know you're the best programmer I've ever hired. I wouldn't have settled for any lesser skilled one than you. It's a pretty important event, you know."  
" S-sorry... I'll do my best, then."  
" Of course you will! Now, go take your shower, Roddy. Then, we can go to my place. Or actually, we'll stop by a pharmacy first."  
" O... okay."  
 _Can't let him know I lied. I can't admit I lied. I really seriously can't.  
_  
He felt a little of the panic within him start to dissolve as he made his way to the bathroom.  
  
 _I almost don't believe this worked out.  
_  
Although there was this much more pressing issue Roddy had to deal with now.  
  
How would he do his job now that he's realized that he had these strange feelings for someone he has to constantly work with?


	2. Hold Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minimally steamy chapter.

How could lights be so bright and dim at once? White and slightly teal at the same time?   
  
This pharmacy did it somehow. It was the one Ertegun lived closest to, and his house was sort of in the outskirts of the city so that his property could take a lot of space and so that he could make as much noise as he could without disturbing any neighbors, so this pharmacy was in a bit of a sketchy edge of the city.   
  
However dusty it was, they seemed to be well and still in business.  
  
" Johnny boy! My _favourite_ client, how are you tonight?!"  
 _Is this guy the pharmacy owner? He seems kind of chummy with Ertegun...  
_  
" Alright, sir. Just here for some medicine for my friend. He's got a bit of a light fever."  
" Not the usual order, then?"  
" Sorry, I won't be doing _that_ for a while."  
" Well, you've contributed enough to my business to keep me running for the next ten years without a customer, so I can't really complain."  
" Come now, you're exaggerating."  
They both had a chuckle.   
  
_Ertegun orders stuff in bulk here regularly? Enough to keep this pharmacy afloat? That's worrying. After what happened at the Grammys, it made me realize that you don't actually know what celebrities are doing in their spare time, no matter how innocent they look. And Ertegun looks a far cry from innocent. I hope he's not doing any recreational drugs. Because whatever he was buying, it seems like he has plans to buy again in the distant future.  
_  
" Now, for real, where do you keep that medicine?"  
" Uh, I've already found it. It's no problem."  
" Oh, did you, Roddy?"  
Embarrassed that he came all the way to this pharmacy just because of a ruse to cover up a tug session, Roddy tried to avoid eye contact with people, including the man who drove him all the way here for his faked illness.  
  
Roddy walked away with the medicine after bickering with Ertegun about paying for the stuff and it took a lot of back and forth to convince the rich bastard not to pay for him.  
  
" Your tastes sure have changed, Johnny."  
" What makes you say that?"  
" Well, that one doesn't seem like your usual type."  
" Oh, it's not like that, sir, I assure you. He's a friend."  
Roddy walked out the door, stuffing the medicine into his backpack and headed back to the car.  
  
 _Yeah, of course. I'm just some kid to him. But he did call me a friend. That actually does make me quite happy because that's what I see him as. He really is a friend. But... It's not like I actually do want more, right? I'm just simply attracted to him. I might do_ that _again a couple more times and get it over with, I'll go back to normal after a while, I'm sure. I'll get over this, whatever this is, it's totally temporary.  
_  
Roddy opened the car door and sat himself down. Ertegun followed after, and drove off to his house.  
There was an awkward silence until they got to the house and the place was embellished with beautiful lights on the path along the driveway and near the entrance, there was also another path that was lit, leading up to the back of the house near the pool area, there was a stage set up and a kiosk opposite from it where they would take donations. The fundraiser party was to help immigrants and refugees from Earth. All the artists who performed " _Mother_ " with Carole and Tuesday would be showing up, with the exception of Desmond, who is still in as poor health as ever, but made a hefty donation.   
  
The girls were also invited to Ertegun's to play for the event, and Roddy was relieved that he was able to forgive them for triggering the fire alarm. It caused a lot of trouble when everything had to be cleaned and dried including some of the priceless artwork up on the walls. After all, he wouldn't still have this place if Carole had not lent him her keyboard.  
  
A couple of other people were around the house, so Roddy wasn't completely alone with the host of the show. He was worried about spending too much alone time with him, but as the sun completely disappeared from the horizon and the sky went from mauve to black, the lighting technicians were able to get the light show ready for the songs Ertegun produced for the night. Roddy helped the technicians and did some maintenance on the various AI around the house and in Ertegun's home studio, however, as a DJ, he wasn't using those particular AI much lately.  
It was past midnight when Ertegun called it a day and sent everyone home, with the exception of Roddy.  
  
The two men hung around the control panel next to the stage and shut off all the lights for the night.  
" It's a little late for a meal, so what do you say we have the kitchen AI prepare us samples of the food for tomorrow?"  
" Sounds like a good idea."  
" Alright, I'll get them right on it."  
Through his phone, he remotely got the kitchen bots to start preparing some food.  
He ran a hand through his silver hair and sighed a sigh of relief, then took off his yellow suit jacket, then his black t-shirt...  
  
" Er... Ertegun! Wh-what are you doing?!"  
  
" Gotta keep in shape, right? I'm just going for a short swim before I eat, if that's alright with you. I'll only be about fifteen minutes, you can take a break and take some of that medicine from earlier."  
  
He unbuckled his belt and dropped his trousers, then picked it up, folded it and approached Roddy, who was heating up and blushing ear to ear, the distance between them almost nonexistent, it was far too close for comfort for the young redhead.  
" Roddy, do you mind bringing this to one of my cleaning AI?"  
" S-sure. I'll do it."  
With that, Ertegun hands the clothes to Roddy and lightly pats him on the head and smiles at him.  
" Thanks."  
Roddy, who has been looking downwards most of the evening didn't look suspicious at all when he was staring down at Ertegun's crotch, then at his nicely toned ass when he turned around to dive into the pool and started doing laps.  
  
 _Ertegun is very muscular... The pool isn't here just for show. He really uses it to work out. I hear it's the best exercise since it makes use of most of the body's muscles with movement.  
_  
He dared not stare for too long and went inside the house. He went to the home studio to get his backpack, forgetting he still had Ertegun's clothes in his arms. He felt his head overheat in embarrassment and slammed his face right into the clothes he held. He took a deep breath and...   
  
_Ertegun... Smells nice._ He sniffed the clothes just a little more and felt like he was becoming addicted to his scent.  
 _Ahh...! What am I doing?! This is creepy! I'm being a complete creep!_  
He calmed himself down a bit and took another sniff, another whiff of the pheromones Ertegun passed onto his clothes, and somehow, just _somehow_ , the scent of him gave Roddy a numbing, buzzing feeling in his head along with a tingle down his spine.   
Somehow, this scent turned him on and he wanted more.   
  
_Ertegun has like... A dozen of these shirts. Surely, he wouldn't miss this one...  
_  
And with that line of thinking, Roddy vertically folded the t-shirt in three and rolled it up as tight and as compact as he could, then shoved the shirt into one of his bag's inner pockets.  
He took his bag and the suit to the kitchen and found an AI cleaner to give the suit to.   
  
Ertegun showed up in the kitchen with a new change of clothes, his casual yellow shirt and shorts, smelling of chlorine, but only just slightly.   
" Did you take that medicine yet?"  
" Of course I did..." Roddy lied. Ertegun looked a little concerned and put his hand onto Roddy's forehead by brushing it slightly under his bangs.  
" Hasn't changed from earlier. I guess you'll probably be fine in the morning, though."  
  
Roddy didn't have the heart to tell him that he was only warm because he was standing so close and touching him because earlier, he was getting off on the idea of seeing him naked and remembering the sounds he made during sex. Ertegun slipped away and headed towards the cabinet.  
" You can drink, right, Roddy?"  
" Are you going to be serving alcohol at the party? Because there's going to be three underage girls attending as far as I know."  
" Yes, yes, I'll keep my eye on those three as much as I can, after all it's only those three. But I'm asking if _you_ want a drink _right now_?"  
" S-sure."  
He opened the cabinet, revealing his wine cooling rack, and yes, he had a refrigerated storage space that cooled nothing but a fine wine collection at the right temperature.  
  
" This wine right here is from one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It tastes a lot less like alcohol and more like juice while still having that refined alcoholic aftertaste."  
The label said it was from Macedonia, wherever on Earth that was, it seemed like Ertegun had been there because he has traveled quite a lot.  
Roddy took a small sip of the glass he was given.  
" It's really nice."  
" And quite expensive, too. The place this is from doesn't actually export this. They only sell this there so that tourists can roll in and spend their money in the country. So people can go there and buy a reasonable amount to take home."  
" Are you going to serve this to all your guests tomorrow?  
" Are you kidding? I've got over a hundred guests and only twelve bottles of this. I only open one of these up every once in a while for special guests."  
" So, do you use this to seduce the women you bring over here?" Roddy chuckled.  
  
Ertegun stung him with a piercing gaze, seeming like he felt insulted by the joke.  
  
" Who am I, Roddy?"  
He walked up to him closer.  
" I am Ertegun. I don't need booze to seduce _anyone_."  
" S-sorry. Of course you don't..."  
With his grandiose aura, he backed off of Roddy, who he stood too close to and sighed.  
  
" I just never properly thanked you for everything you've done for me. I just drag you around everywhere I go because I'm looking for an excuse to make it up to you."  
" I... What do you mean?"  
" You know what I mean."  
Just then, the kitchen AI rolled in with various samples of hors d'œuvres, about twenty to thirty different ones along with some non-alcoholic cocktails.  
  
" Your samples for tomorrow night are ready, Sir Ertegun."  
" So, Roddy, shall we eat?"  
" Th-this is a lot!"  
" They're just samples. Besides, if there are any that are mediocre, we'll be crossing it off the menu."  
" Ah, so this is still for work..."  
  
 _Crap, I just said that out loud.  
_  
" Yeah but tomorrow during the day, I'd like it if we could do something together if your fever goes away completely."  
" Yeah, like what?"  
" I... It's actually a surprise. Let's just eat, okay?"  
" Sure, then."  
  
  
***  
  
" Roddy."  
He opened his eyes to see a shirtless Ertegun crawling into the bed with him, or rather, right on top of him.  
  
 _Ertegun... His lips are on my neck. I can feel a soft stubble, his goatee rubbing against my collarbone.  
A little tug against my skin, coming from his lips, but he's not doing it hard enough to leave a mark. His left hand travelled up my shirt and his fingertips reached my nipple. He pressed, caressed and made circular motions, sending chills down my abdomen and making moans slip my lips.  
_  
" Ertegun... Why..."  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy, don't you know?"  
 _He placed a kiss on my cheek and a breath in my ear, whispering into it:_  
" ... You're adorable, Roddy."  
" Mmmm... No... That can't be..."  
  
 _He pulled my shirt up to play with both my nipples and slightly tugged at my earlobe with his teeth. The silver-haired hunk with the body of a god slipped a hand down below and started... jerking me off? N-no way! Why is he doing this to me?  
_  
" E-Ertegun! Don't you want me to do anything for you?"  
" Relax."  
 _He straddled me and pulled... His dick... out of his shorts, but it didn't stop there, he pressed himself against mine's and... And... He held both... Jerking us both off with one hand, and with the other, his right hand, he tossed the hair on the left side of my face aside to see my face in its entirety.  
_  
" Yeah.... You're _really_ cute."  
" Ertegun..."  
" I want you, Roddy. I want you all to myself."  
" I want you, too... Ertegun..."  
As Ertegun's face approached Roddy's, he prepared himself to receive a kiss...  
  
***  
  
Sweat, panting, Roddy's eyes darted around, he woke up next to Ertegun, who sat at his bedside.  
As he calmed his heart down, he realized that what had just happened was just a dream, even if it felt so real.  
  
" I came to check up on you and I heard you mumbling in your sleep."  
" Oh... Was I now?"  
" Yeah, so I went to fetch you a wet towel to put on your head."  
Ertegun had already swept Roddy's hair out of his face to put the damp rag on his forehead.  
  
 _When did he do that? Oh, right. He did that in my dream.  
_  
" I hope I wasn't talking too much in my sleep. Sorry to bother you about this."  
" You're my friend, Roddy. Of course it's not a bother."  
He unbuttoned Roddy's pyjama top, sending the younger man into a panic.  
  
" Wh-what are you doing?!"   
" Just getting this out of the way."  
" Huh?! Why?!"  
" Don't worry, I'm not doing anything untoward. I'm just going to wipe the sweat around your shoulders."  
He pulled out another wet rag and dragged one side of the shirt down his shoulder, wiping that down, placing the shirt back in its place and doing the same for the other side.  
  
" Sorry, I should have warned you."  
He got up and picked up Roddy's backpack. As he tried to unzip it, the zipper gets jammed less than a quarterway through.  
  
" Your clothes and medicine are in here, right? You can rest for a bit and take another shower if you're up to it. And if we can leave here before noon, I'll take you out for brunch."  
  
Roddy saw the older man's rough, callused hands struggle to open up the bag without tearing it apart and came to the sudden realization that it wouldn't look very good if Ertegun found his stolen t-shirt in there. That, plus an unopened box of the medicine he bought himself the previous night.  
  
Roddy abruptly grabbed his wrist and yelped.  
" Ah! Uhm... Let me do it, it's okay! I'll be up and ready in twenty minutes, I swear."  
  
" Alright. I'll leave this to you. I can't seem to figure out how to open this thing anyways."  
And with that, he left the guest room to give Roddy his privacy.  
Roddy's face flushed red and he squirmed at the close call that just happened. He wondered whether he should just bring the shirt to a cleaning AI as soon as possible or get rid of the evidence. What if the security cameras saw him do that? He was sure the studio where he stuffed the shirt in was the only place in the house without any surveillance. Wasn't he already caught on camera going in with the shirt in hand and coming out without it? No, the shirt was folded and placed between the folded suit pants and suit jacket. There's no way a camera would have picked up that. He'd only actually get caught if he took it out of his bag while on the property.   
  
_Temporary insanity! Temporary insanity!  
_  
He told himself, trying to justify why he'd ever steal from the likes of someone like Ertegun.  
But now was past the point of no return.  
  
He sighed, and decided he'd go take a quick shower while trying to figure out what to do next.  
  
That didn't work out.   
  
Upon stepping into that shower, Roddy discovered that he had an erection this entire time and ended up having a wank session in the guest room's bathroom as he day dreamed and drifted off into that dream again and again, wondering how wonderful would it be if it didn't stop where it did. Admitting to himself that he had the desire to actually kiss Ertegun and do further things with him.  
  
Once he was done in the shower, he hopped out, dried himself and got dressed as quickly as he could, so that he could join Ertegun in his car yet again.  
  
They went out for a lovely little brunch and had eggs benedict at a quaint diner near that pharmacy from the night before. Ertegun was casually dressed in one of his dozen "Who Am I?" Shirts and one of his yellow suit pants, without the jacket, since he'd be a bit overdressed for a diner of this caliber.   
  
" That place had better food than it seems to." Roddy commented as they left.  
" Is this perhaps the surprise you had planned?"  
" Not at all. We're going shopping."  
" What for? Is there anything missing for tonight?"  
" Yeah, couple things."  
The two entered the car and Ertegun drove off further into the city.  
" I had the idea of setting up additional speakers inside the house so that people who just went in for a snack or a bathroom break can still hear the performances. Wouldn't want them to miss a great piece over some pesky bodily functions."  
" That's a great idea. I know a place where we can get excellent speakers with a simple setup."  
" That's why I need you by my side, Roddy. You really know how to complete my vision."  
This triggered a fiery blush on Roddy's face with a shade that rivalled his hair.  
  
How amazing would it be if Ertegun said something as romantic as " _You complete me_." Of course, that was unrealistic for the non-monogamous playboy who had a new toy at his arms every other week.  
  
They quickly got to an electronics shop Roddy entered into the GPS.  
It was some very easy to install equipment. They could even use some general house chores AI to do it for them as they worked on other stuff. The pair left the car parked in front of the electronics store and went for a walk.  
  
" So, about that surprise I was talking about earlier."  
" Yeah?"  
" Well, this is part of it."  
They stopped in front of a suit store.  
" Ertegun, isn't this..."  
" Yeah, it is."  
Just one of the clothing brands he owned. This suit store was a really fancy place that imported a bunch of high quality materials from Earth. Suits as good as these can cost around eighteen thousand Woolongs on average and the designs are a little flashy with the fabrics and patterns they choose.  
  
" Why are we here?"  
" You rented an okay suit back at the Grammys. Now, I want to get you a really nice one that you'll actually own. You're going to need it tonight."  
" What?! No, it's fine, I'll just wear what I always wear when I work!"  
" Nonsense! You'll stand out like a sore thumb, and in the worst way possible. You'll be surrounded by a bunch of award winning singers and elite types, not to mention myself, all wearing the finest formal attire. This is from me as your boss Roddy, wear a good suit. Plus, as your friend, I can't in good conscience, allow a young man such as yourself to keep living his life without a nice suit somewhere in the closet."  
In the end, Roddy couldn't say no to that persistence.  
They walked into the store and a man ended up taking his measurements.  
  
" Roddy! Got a colour preference?"  
" Anything but white or black, really. I really like blue grey or beige."  
" Got it."  
Almost immediately, Ertegun pulled out a beige suit with slightly tanner thin stripes and a grey collar with grey pocket flaps. The edges at the bottom of the suit were rounded and so were the ends of the cuffs where they buttoned up. The buttons on the cuffs and on the front were wrapped in dark grey denim. The suit pants matched the jacket and as for the blouse, it was a dark navy colour accompanied by a plaid, greyish cerulean necktie. They found a suit that roughly fit Roddy, but Ertegun insisted on having the suit tailored to fit perfectly. It took about a half hour to try on the suit and have it altered bit by bit, since the AI doing the alterations worked pretty quickly.  
  
They were all set and done, but the suit cost twenty thousand Woolongs, plus an alteration fee. Or not. Who knows? Ertegun does own the place, but he was seen tipping the tailor.  
" Thanks for the suit... It looked great."  
" Of course it did. It's from _my_ store after all."  
He chuckled.  
  
" But then again, you fill it out pretty nicely. Maybe you should wear one more often."  
Roddy blushed intensely.  
  
 _Fill it out pretty nicely? He sounds like he's talking about lingerie. Why'd he have to say it like that? No, stop overthinking this. It's just a present from my boss and my friend. Nobody would buy something that looks terrible on their friend for them. It's just a friendly compliment_.  
  
Is what he told himself in his head, but he immediately came up with more reasons to stress himself out.  
  
 _But he said his type was successful men and any man in a suit looks like they have their act together and a good professional life, so maybe he's just trying to make me seem more like his type_?! Roddy's thoughts started drifting off into the direction of last night's dream, and the more he spent time with Ertegun, the more realistic that dream became as a potential outcome.   
He was bottling up a bunch of stress, worry, and uneasiness of the heart as he felt it beat unevenly and slightly faster. He tightened his grip on the shopping bag he held in his arms, then released.   
  
_This is a precious gift from Ertegun, I don't want to crush the box and ruin it just because I'm freaking out._  
As they walked down this street, Roddy felt this eerily familiar vibe.  
  
They paused in front of a certain store that he immediately recognized.  
It's known as one of the biggest anime merchandise stores on Mars.  
  
" What are we doing here?" Roddy asked awkwardly as they walked into the store.  
" Picking something up." Ertegun replied, pulling out his phone and scanning it at the counter, mere seconds after which, a robot rolled out with a stack of five boxes with some mecha anime action figures that Roddy knew from his favourite anime, two of which were models he previously owned, but were destroyed when filming a certain music video a while back.  
" Help me take these back to the car, Roddy."  
" Right! Of course!" Roddy took two of the boxes and Ertegun took the remaining three. They carried the boxes to the car and stuffed them into the back seat along with the new suit.  
" I didn't know you liked this stuff." Roddy said with a nervous air of surprise as he slammed the back door and headed to the front seat. Ertegun joined him in the car and started driving.  
  
" Well, actually, it's a gift for you."  
" Huh?! Seriously?! How did you know I was trying to buy this?!"  
" I have my secrets." Ertegun said in a sultry whisper as he gave the younger man a wink.  
" Although, if I'm being honest, I did have a brief interest in all this anime stuff when I was your age."  
" Whoa! Seriously?!"  
" How do you think I started?"  
" Didn't you start producing your own music because your father funded its production?"  
" Partly." Ertegun seemed a little disappointed at the assumption, but excited to tell his story.  
  
" I actually started out producing music for indie games when I was just a kid. And that was running slow, but I was pretty good at it, so word got around and I started making music for anime, like this mecha one you like so much."  
Roddy's eyes lit up. He had no idea this whole time, someone so close to him was involved in something he held so dearly to his heart, although it explained the warm feeling he got when he listened to Ertegun's earlier music, which piqued his interest in working for him in the first place.  
" That lasted a few years. Critics loved my music in these shows and then I got a little selfish. It's not that I didn't like anime. I actually did like the content I produced music for, I just wanted some recognition, you know? I just wanted people to know who I am. I wanted the world to know my name, instead of only knowing my work through the works of others. My songs were good enough to be their own standalone tracks after all and it made pretty good club music, which is how I got so popular, although, you already knew that."  
  
Somehow, all of this explained a lot of his behaviour in the past and why he behaved in such a pompous, egotistical and narcissistic manner before. Why even beneath all this confidence and bravado, Ertegun, the most successful DJ on the planet, still had his moments where he's desperate for attention, as if no one would be willing to give it to him, as if it was a chore to remember his name, just another line in a vast scroll of ending credits, thus, his catch phrase, seeking constant validation.  
  
He was known to be reckless with his money, spending it on his many entourages over the years and even more reckless when it came to his sex life. He needed constant attention from people and throwing his money around was the lowly sacrifice to attract any sort of company, even if it were just people that used him. Such a man who emanated the essence of self-confidence was actually very insecure deep down.  
  
" I threw away my pride and asked my old man for money and some contacts that could start up my career. I already had a lot of tracks that made a good portfolio anyways." As he told Roddy about his journey into the industry, he had a soft, gentle and yet, ever so proud look on his face.   
  
" I'm glad my life turned out like this. But talking about it now, it really shows my age, doesn't it? Bet I sound like an old man rambling right about now. Although you might be thinking I only made it because I was a rich kid who rode on daddy's coattails."  
" N-no! That's not true at all! I think it's amazing... Even if you did have help from your father, you didn't completely depend on him and that was a dozen years ago! You wouldn't have lasted this long if you weren't as good as you are." Roddy swallowed to clear his throat before saying the next very sensitive words.  
" I mean, after all, you did lose everything, make more music without AI and bought your house back using money you earned yourself before the reacquisition of your assets, didn't you? Is that not proof enough of how great you are?"  
" I like that about you, Roddy, you always see my best side and show it to me." He took a hand off the wheel and ran his hand through his thick, silver mane, slowly pulling up to a parallel parking spot.  
  
" The music I had produced for over a decade... I wasn't as proud of it as I was of my old work from the anime industry. But the things I've made in the past couple months... I've got that feeling back. Genuine pride."   
" Hey, Ertegun... You're doing the right thing right now. I mean, there's nothing wrong with your music from the past few years, no matter how you feel and no matter how anyone perceives it, the fact is, the entire world enjoyed that music. But it's great that you're doing music that you can truly be passionate about again. And you're making the effort to go through with it. I think you're doing great right now and that you have nowhere to go but up."  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy.... you really do always know what to say to me." The shorter man kept facing the windshield, but suddenly felt the other man's large hand on his, fingers intertwining, although never turned to look at the man in the driver's seat because he could tell that he was facing forward as well.  
  
" Roddy, I... Don't tell a lot of people about all that stuff... Do you think you can keep all this to yourself?"  
"Of course." He said, feeling the older man's tender grip tighten just very softly and slightly.  
  
" What I'm doing right now... can you also just let me... Do this for a bit?"  
Roddy didn't respond, at least not verbally. He held Ertegun's hand and placed his other hand on top.  
  
Then, he wondered that if moments like these are the right time to act upon that desire presented to him in that dream.   
Because this wasn't the first nor last silent moment they had where they would hold each other in some manner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FUN FACT: His full name is Johnny Ertegun. It's written on his order of eviction in episode 17.
> 
> HEADCANON: Ertegun's bio on the official C&T website says that he was the son of an entrepreneur and one of Mars' first settlers who became rich after migrating to the planet. My analysis on him is that deep down, he always wanted to be self-made like his father was. Regardless of the past I made up for him in this chapter, it's really cool how he probably started his career on his father's money, lost everything and made all his money back by himself (he wasn't able to reacquire any of his stolen money because it had really all been spent: this was the only thing the AI didn't lie about).


	3. Before Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night Roddy and Ertegun have been preparing for is here. A fundraiser is held at the world-renowned DJ's mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the dialogue-heaviness, I'm transitioning from Visual novel script writing back to fanfic, hope you can bear with me!

The night was falling upon this side of the planet and the skies were golden, orange and pink. The sound technicians came back to the mansion and certain people started pouring in. Mostly managers of the singers who were involving themselves with the event, but not all.  
  
" Is it just me or does this place look even more pompous than last time I was here?"  
Roddy turned around to see Gus, walking out of the house and into the backyard.  
" It's been more than a year since you've been here, can you really remember what this place was like back then?" Roddy pointed out, almost defensively.  
" There's less ridiculous expensive artwork and it's been replaced with more ridiculously expensive artwork. The man knows how to cut down, at least." Gus looked at Roddy up and down, taking notice of the expensive clothing.  
  
" Geez. Ertegun sure pays you a lot if you can afford a suit like that. Not gonna lie, it's a good look for you."  
" Well, he does, but this is actually a gift from him..."  
" WHAT?!" Gus screeched, turning several heads in their direction.  
  
" Sorry! He's just shocked to find out how much Desmond has donated to this fundraiser!" Roddy covered as Gus muttered something about it being a dumb lie under his breath, although when he actually did find out the amount of Desmond's donation, he pretty much had the same reaction.  
" Anyways, Roddy, I was going to ask you, how was your night since I last saw you?" This made Roddy's face completely flush, because the first thing on the mind wasn't how he wanked off to one of his employers, but how he had a dirty dream about Ertegun the night before and his mind was filled with thoughts of kissing him, among other things.  
  
" Wh-why do you ask?"  
" No, Roddy, tell me you didn't spend the night with that playboy." Of course, Gus meant this in the dirtiest way possible.  
" Well, yes, but it's not what you think, I... Was in the guest room, getting over a light fever."  
Gus clicked his tongue, sighed and turned away, shaking his head in utter disappointment with his goddamn arms crossed.  
" ...you could do better than him..." Roddy chose to ignore Gus' disapproving mutters and waited for him to say something different.  
  
" How long have we known each other for?"  
" I don't know, Gus... Years?"  
" You're like... A nephew to me or something, you know. I can't help but worry when you hang around a guy like that."  
" Really, Gus, there's nothing to worry about."  
" Are you interested in that guy?"  
" Huh?"  
" Because I get this weird feeling that he's interested in you. Lately, he's been posting stuff on his social media with you in it. At odd hours."   
" I do work with him, and he does work odd hours."  
" I mean, privately. As in dinners, outings and such."  
" Didn't know you followed him that intensely on social media."  
  
Roddy had indeed been spending too much time with Ertegun ever since he helped the man get back up on his feet, not only professionally, but in his private life as well.   
Just last week, Ertegun had invited him out to lunch at a fancy restaurant before work and brought him to catch a late movie after work, although it wasn't a rare occurrence.   
Ertegun took the time of day for Roddy once a week to do stuff of the sort and occasionally posted about it online. He spent less time with his other friends, entourage and side women, but it did happen occasionally.  
" Roddy, if you were a girl, do you know what kind of things people would say about you?"  
" But I'm not a girl."  
Yet, he could picture it. For instance, their entire day had consisted of brunch, getting new clothes and material things he liked, all paid for by one of the world's richest men. It was, to sum it up, like a date with a sugar daddy. And Roddy knew that his actions, or rather, passive actions of accepting gifts such as these could be parallelled with those of a straight up gold digger.  
  
" Gus, really, just try not to think about it, okay? He's my friend."   
" Well, friends aren't supposed to..."  
Gus' phone rang right at that second. It was Tuesday calling and she wanted Gus to come over as soon as he could to pick them up. Apparently they were with Flora as well.  
" Sorry, Roddy, we'll talk again later tonight, I hope?"  
" If you can find me."  
  
Slowly, people started flooding into the mansion and the party officially started at 7. Artists would perform every half hour. They'd start at the start of an hour or half past, perform for about ten to fifteen minutes and the stage would be empty for fifteen to twenty minutes  
  
Every guest, with the exception of the performing artists and staff were required to make a donation that was exponentially more expensive than Roddy's suit. However, the artists made a smaller donation out of courtesy.   
  
Ertegun was seen chatting people up. Tonight, as opposed to his regular yellow suit he wore daily, he wore a silver suit for the occasion. He was sparkling and confident as he socialized and mingled with his guests, however, just hours before, he was in his walk-in closet with Roddy rotating between trying on five different suits and depending on Roddy to tell him what to wear, asking him which look fit the event best and if he still looked good in some of the suits he hasn't worn in years, much like what he did before any show.  
  
" Roddy, do you think this is appropriate for this event? I'm not sure if this isn't flashy enough or too flashy. Roddy, do I look good in this or does it look good on me? Roddy, does my skin look tired? Do I look my age? Roddy, how do I look? Roddy, Roddy, Roddy..."  
  
Before, Ertegun would say it in a more joking tone, as if he knew the answer and only wanted verbal acknowledgement and validation to reinforce his confidence, but now, Ertegun can't go out into an event without Roddy by his side. He needed Roddy to be there to validate him somehow and his opinion meant the world to him right now.  
  
You'd never guess Ertegun was still this much of a wreck and still sort of a mess on the inside with all the tenacity and high spirits he puts on display.  
"Roddy!"  
Carole and Tuesday ran up to him and both gave him a hug at the same time.  
" Hey there. You both look great. How are you doing?"  
" Well, it's a little awkward to be back here since last time was... You know." Carole admitted, with an avoidant gaze around the room.  
" I'm really relieved Ertegun doesn't hate me for what I did to the house last year."  
" What did you do, Tuesday?"  
A tall, blonde man with cyan eyes, porcelain skin and a trim and properly tailored suit that matched his eyes approached the three.  
" Spencer!" Tuesday exclaimed, going up to him for a hug.  
" Do you remember Roddy? He's the one who posted that viral video of Carole and I. He's helped me out a lot during my time in Alba city. Roddy, this is Spencer, my big brother." Roddy required that introduction, however, Spencer didn't need any. He was alongside his mother during her presidential campaign and was the cool, educated older brother who helped Tuesday run away the second time around. She spoke dearly of him quite often. All of a sudden, some glasses-wearing red-headed girl with her hair tied in two buns whispered in Carole's ear, urging her to go.  
" Hey, Tuesday, there's something we need to go do, as in right now."   
" Ah, sorry! I'll see you two later tonight!"  
The two men looked at the two girls, waving goodbye, then looked each other in the eye, smiled at each other and shook hands. Roddy felt the tightness of Spencer's confident grip, embarassed at the looseness of his own by comparison.  
" I remember seeing you breifly, before new year's. I guess we didn't exactly speak back then, but it's nice to officially meet you."  
" It's nice to meet you, too!" Roddy replied nervously as he let go of the hand he shook.  
" So, Spencer, what do you do nowadays?"  
" Well, let's just say I'm back in school. But I'm also working with a band, thinking maybe I should get back into music."  
"That's amazing, er, I mean, Tuesday mentioned you had some interest in music, so I'm glad you're doing something about it even if just a bit."  
" Aren't you also doing amazing things? I've heard a bit about you from my sister. You're the programmer friend of hers that works for Ertegun, right?"  
" That's me. I've posted some tutorial videos on YouTube on programming, and I do a lot of freelance work. I mostly work for Ertegun these days, so I've been busy helping set up this event."  
" That's pretty cool. Ever thought of producing music?"  
" I'm actually helping Carole and Tuesday put together a few songs. It's volunteer work, though. It is my first try after all." Roddy said, nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.  
" So then, look at it this way, we're both beginners. Let's cheer each other on." Spencer said with a gentle smile.   
  
_Huh... Spencer is actually kind of good looking... No, REALLY good looking! Of course he'd be attractive, I mean... I've always thought Tuesday was cute, so of course her brother would be, too... What's with me? He's a guy. I've never really been this attracted to guys except for...  
_  
" Hey, Roddy. Who's this? I don't remember having such a handsome young man on the guest list." Ertegun strolled into the conversation casually. Of course, he'd show concern if someone who wasn't on the guest list arrived. Security is so tight that Gus couldn't even enter as the girls' manager last year. It probably had something to do with Spencer being a high-profile individual who came in with a couple of performing artists. Speaking of the devil, seeing him again reminded him of the dream he had the previous night. Roddy froze up for just a second, but composed himself to act as if his desire to kiss Ertegun was the furthest thing from his mind.  
  
" Oh, uh, Ertegun, this is Spencer Simmons, he's Tuesday's brother, he came as her plus-one."  
" Simmons? Like the politician?"  
" That's my mother." He chuckled nervously.  
" Oh, that's right, I remember seeing you on TV. Actually, you were at Carole's place, too, if I'm not mistaken. But, you know, security isn't usually so lax, so I wonder---"  
" Don't worry, sir, I'm aware about what kind of event this is, so I've made the mandatory donation and then some."  
" Very well, then! Thanks for supporting the cause. I hope you'll enjoy the performances this evening."  
" I'm sure I will."  
" Now, I hope you don't mind if I borrow Roddy for a bit."  
" Of course not, if it's for work, it has to be a priority. I hope I'll see you later tonight, Roddy."  
" I hope so, too!" Roddy said as he waved at Spencer and...   
Ertegun took Roddy by the hand.  
" Hey, Ertegun... What're you doing?"  
" Studio, now." He said bluntly.   
_Where did his manners from earlier disappear off to? He seems a little angry, but why...?_  
Then, he remembered what Gus had said earlier about Ertegun having an "interest" in him.  
 _There's no way Ertegun could be jealous of Spencer and I talking... There's just no way. Although this kind of behaviour would support that theory, I still don't believe Ertegun could have **that** kind of interest in me.  
_Belief or disbelief, Without further words, Ertegun dragged Roddy all the way to the studio.  
  
" So, Ertegun, what did you need me for?"  
" Nothing much. Just a little adjustment for a last minute change."  
" Sure, what is it?"  
" Angela decided that she wanted to sing with Carole and Tuesday at the last minute."  
" Seriously?"  
Roddy had heard Carole and Tuesday make the phone call to Angela to collaborate and she never gave a real answer, only "I'll think about it."  
  
They're doing this pretty last minute and never rehearsed together, a logical person would normally rescind or postpone the offer, but Carole and Tuesday wanted so desperately to perform with Angela. They try their best to contact her and get in touch with her, not only professionally, but they seem to really want to be her friend. It doesn't help that Angela's a little hard to reach.  
  
" They decided that they would combine two preexisting songs. The girls are learning each other's lyrics now and I offered to do a mix of their music recordings."  
" So what do I do?"  
" I want you to observe."  
" That's it?"  
" You're trying to help those two with their music, right? What better than to learn from me under pressure?"  
" How much pressure? I mean, when's the performance?"  
" Angela starts at seven on the dot."  
" Seven?! That's in less than an hour! Angela was supposed to be the first performer?!"  
" She'll do her planned performance, Carole and Tuesday will join and then they'll perform as planned."  
The two sat down with the music tracks and a sheet showing how the lyrics were rearranged.  
They tested various ways to combine the music without the songs clashing in a manner that they predicted the song to be sung.  
" See how I adjusted the keyboard part here? I want you to try editing the next transition, I'll play the keyboard for that part, too though."   
" Just to be clear, I want to know why you're redoing that part?" Roddy interjected.  
" Because if I slow down or speed up that part digitally, there's going to be a slight distortion. This isn't my usual electronic music genre, it's very centered on traditional music, so it's not exactly something we can cover up with some sound effects. It'll break the illusion that this is a single song and not a remix. It's a little difficult to bring such different songs together. But I know I can do this."  
Ertegun got up from his seat to get back into the recording room.  
  
" Besides, Roddy..."  
He put his hand on Roddy's shoulder and brought his lips to his ear.  
  
" I really want to show off for you. Watch carefully and become a good producer for me."  
  
With that, he walked into the recording studio to play the keyboard notes Carole did to match the timing of Angela's song. But all the while, Roddy felt a shiver travel up his spine from that interaction with the attractive man in front of him and tried as much as he could to keep his thoughts away from anything that would cause him to pitch a tent.  
  
In the end, they finished just ten minutes before Angela's performance, giving her just a smidge of time to review the song with Carole and Tuesday.   
  
Angela started by singing "Move Mountains", the song that started it all, followed by "Not Afraid" before going into a song she had previously only performed halfway before combining it with a song Carole and Tuesday never released because Tobe didn't approve.  
  
 _When the world starts slowly caving in,_  
 _I can't breathe,_  
 _I can't breathe..._  
 _Because you left me broken, on my knees,_  
 _Can't breathe, where'd the oxygen go?_  
 _I can't breathe,_  
 _I can't breathe...  
_  
 _Then you held me under, in the deep,_  
 _I can't breathe,_  
 _I can't breathe..._  
 _Did you ever believe the story that you told me?_  
 _Ooh....  
_  
  
 _And in the light of morning,_  
 _I left my bed and street_  
 _Passed the park and bench_  
 _where we no longer meet_  
  
 _(I can't breathe, I can't breathe, ooh I can't breathe)_  
  
 _I found a path forgotten,_  
 _green and overgrown_  
 _I followed my own footsteps_  
 _and walked there on my own  
_  
  
 _When the world starts slowly caving in,_  
 _I can't breathe, I can't breathe_  
 _Because you drown me in my time of need,_  
 _I can't breathe, I can't breathe...._  
  
  
 _Threads,_  
 _something's pulling me, I move ahead_  
 _Threads,_  
 _what is holding's also being held  
_  
  
 _Look me in the eye and you,_  
 _Said it's fine, it's fine,_  
 _But the words you said, were they true?_  
 _Or just selfish lies?_  
 _After all of this you put me through_  
 _I don't even know myself, did I even know myself at all?  
_  
  
 _A weeping willow_  
 _when all the trees around_  
 _with all the branches rising_  
 _To where light is found_  
  
 _at first appeared so heavy_  
 _the branches leaning down_  
 _but then I saw through low they go_  
 _They never touch the ground_  
  
  
 _Everything is broken,_  
 _don't know why, what did I do?_  
 _You're all I ever had_  
 _Tried to make you laugh, tried to please you_  
 _Clinging to the past tried to make it last but I can't_  
 _All I know is gone,_  
 _All I know is gone,_  
 _All I know is gone_  
 _Now I'm all alone_  
  
  
 _Threads,_  
 _something's pulling me, I move ahead_  
 _Threads,_  
 _what is holding's also being held_  
  
  
 _Morning never comes,_  
 _Darkness chokes me_  
 _Wish that I could see the sun,_  
 _I feel like I am falling_  
 _Morning never comes_  
 _Darkness got me_  
 _Because you left me_  
 _Or because you hurt me_  
 _Want to fall into an Endless dream..._  
  
 _(Threads... Something's pulling me, I move ahead....)_  
  
 _What is the answer?_  
 _When everything is gone..._  
 _What is the answer?_  
 _What is the answer?_  
  
  
  
Although a beautiful surprise collaboration to the audience, the song was a little heavy, and to transition the mood into something more upbeat, Carole and Tuesday performed "Day by Day", followed by "Army of Two". The three girls still had to perform again later because they occupied two slots each.   
  
The fundraiser seemed to be going well, as planned. Guests socialized, met new connections and made additional donations as they talked to people like Carole and Skip, who were from Earth, and the reason for the fundraiser. Skip was lucky to not be deported at the last minute and make an appearance.  
Roddy had to adjust some sound settings when a musician decided they wanted to plug in some fancy new equipment that wasn't very compatible with the equipment at hand, delaying the next performance at eleven.   
  
Things seemed to be going well, the guests were happy and the performances were great.  
The host of the evening walked up to Roddy and laid a hand on his shoulder. He shuddered slightly only to compose himself quickly, trying his hardest not to let Ertegun's touch affect him too much.  
" Roddy, good job handling those two incidents this evening..."  
  
 _The way he says it in my ear... Ah... I'm getting kind of hot right now... No. Stop thinking that way... I'm at work. I won't let him make me flustered..._  
  
The most he could do for now was keep his expression as neutral as could be, even if he blushed a little, which wasn't visible under the cover of dim lighting in the night air and a faint blue glow emanating from the pool.  
" Don't thank me yet, the night isn't over." Roddy said as he entered some data onto his laptop, which was plugged into a cleaning AI. He needed to boot up a couple of extra ones since some guests were getting a bit drunk, there was a lot of appetizers being thrown up.   
Luckily, Ertegun predicted this may happen and saved an area of the house to be a sick room station, where people could rest, drink as much water as they could and have a couple of painkillers.   
  
Ertegun finally slipped his hand off of Roddy and sighed.  
" Suit looks good on you, Roddy."   
" Th-thanks... You did get it for me, you know..."  
" Right... Well, I'm going to go see the next performers. You keep at it."  
  
It was almost 2 AM and Pyotr finished his performance earlier with GGK. He was actively drinking the hard liquor at the open bar like it was water, having a surprisingly high tolerance, and started convincing other artists to drink the cocktails he'd made after convincing the bar staff to let him try mixing stuff himself.  
  
Roddy saw Pyotr approach Carole and Tuesday, who were hesitant to take the drinks he offered. He ran up to them and stepped in.  
" H-hey, you can't give them those. They're performing again later."  
" Ohhhhh~ hey you! Roddy was it? Tuesday's talked about you! Nice to finally meet you!" Roddy was a little flustered and pleasantly surprised to see that someone like Pyotr of all people, knew who he was, but he didn't let that distract him.  
" It's nice to meet you, too, but you can't serve alcohol to these two!"  
" Too young, are they? My bad, I should have asked instead of forcing it on them. Such a shame! I made it specifically for them. I made a special drink for all the other artists, too because most of us had already performed! Didn't know you were going up again!"  
" Well, good, I'm glad that's settled."  
" Will you drink it instead? It's very good! If you're Carole and Tuesday's friend, I'd be honored if you took it in their place!"   
  
Unbelievable. But so adorable. Even as a tall man, Pyotr was unbelievably adorable and his begging tone and puppy dog eyes were not to be underestimated.   
" Go ahead if you want, we won't stop you, Roddy. It's not like we'll tell anyone you were drinking on the job. Only if you want to, though." Carole said.  
" Pyotr always took a sip first before handing people the drinks he made for them, so it's not like he'd ever do anything to hurt anyone including us." Tuesday added.  
  
Roddy wasn't exactly tempted, but he was curious. After all, Pyotr seemed to be really proud of his little concoction.  
  
" F-fine. I'll try it. Thanks."  
Roddy took both cups and took a sip of the one for Tuesday.  
" This tastes like an Irish whiskey disguised as a London Fog."  
" Riiiiiight?! It totally seems like the type of thing Tuesday would like if she had a drink! She seems like the type to like milk teas and such." Pyotr exclaimed.  
" You're right! I do love milk teas!" Tuesday confirmed.  
Roddy ended up drinking the entire thing quite quickly, including the foam on top. He felt a warmth from the temperature of the drink along with that heat in the heart that came with an alcoholic beverage fill his chest as he savoured the flavour of the creamy, slightly bitter, but mostly sweet latte.  
" Y-yeah I admit, this was really good. Make it again for Tuesday in a few years, alright?"  
" For sure! Now try the other!"  
This time, Roddy took a less hesitant and more ballsy glug of Carole's drink, which was also in latte form.  
" Gingerbread and cinnamon... It tastes like a pastry with a bunch of liquor in it!"  
" Sounds Christmas-y. Sounds like something I'd like." Carole commented.  
" It's really strong... But it's still very nice and bittersweet." Roddy said as he drank again.  
" See? I knew you'd like it! Although to be honest, they're probably the best ones I made tonight."  
" Thanks for the drinks, Pyotr, make sure to make these for their birthdays in a couple years. I'll be getting back to work, now!"  
  
Roddy went off to the control panel to get back to setting up for the next artist when he felt heat filling his heart. The alcohol was kicking in and he was starting to feel a little buzzed. The drinks were pretty strong and he had very little tolerance to anything stronger than wine. He could still see clearly, but walked slower, just to be careful.  
  
A few minutes passed and the performance by Crystal is underway. Right now, she's singing " _Everything_ " and all is doing well. Roddy is able to keep up the good work no matter how dizzy he started to feel.  
  
 _Damn... Those drinks are really hitting hard! But.... I can't let them know I'm like this... Because of Pyotr's drinks... I don't think I can hide it anymore... Maybe I should go to the bar and drink something else to look like I got drunk off of it instead of the drink from before._  
It seemed like a good idea in theory.   
  
The night was almost over, but the place was still packed. Carole and Tuesday had their second performance coming up soon and Roddy had already taken care of everything.  
He made his way to the open bar and didn't know what to pick. So he haphazardly blurted:  
" Hey! Give me... Whatever these guys're having." He spat, pointing to his left with his right hand and to his right with his left one, crossing his fore arms.  
" Uh... Are you sure you can handle that, Roddy?"  
" Roddy?! You're drinking?!"  
He looked to his sides to see himself between Gus and Spencer.  
  
Before he knew it, he was served the same American beer as Gus and an identical glass of whiskey that Spencer had: half full, no ice.  
" I mean, you could probably hold a beer, but..." Gus groaned.  
" This whiskey's alcohol content is more than 50%, so are you sure you can drink this?" Spencer warned with a great deal of concern in his voice, tone and expression.  
  
" Of course." Roddy said confidently as he downed the whisky in two gulps.  
" No need to show off, Roddy." Gus muttered, but then changed his unimpressed look to a very concerned one as he hesitantly turned to look in the girls'direction.  
  
Within the next two minutes, the drunkenness Roddy felt exponentially intensified and against common sense, he started sipping the beer as Carole and Tuesday performed their song.  
  
" Wow... My sister's amazing." Spencer said as the intense applause died down for them to do their next song.  
" Of course she is! I'm her manager after all." Gus added.  
" I'm pretty sure she was still amazing before she met you, Gus."  
" Yeah, yeah, whatever, fancy boy." Gus slurred. The two threw verbal jabs at each other whilst complimenting the girls. Their voices started to sound all echoed and jumbled to the smaller man sitting between them.  
  
Louder, louder, the beat of the drums, the beating of his eardrums, the sounds, the vibrations, he felt each one hit his ear drums and he shut his eyes only to see stars and everything doubling, cloning itself.  
Roddy felt all the fluids running through him, his body signalled him to go to the bathroom.  
  
 _Am I spinning or is Mars spinning? What....wha... Of course Mars is spinning. It always is... But why is it spinning faster than usual...  
_  
" Guys... I have to..."  
  
Roddy tripped, stumbling off the bar stool.  
  
" Roddy!"  
Spencer hopped off his chair and tried to pick Roddy up, wrapping the smaller boy's arm around his neck for support, but carefully, because his head bobbed so much it seemed as if it were about to fall off.  
  
" Hey, Spencer, if you don't mind, can you take him home? There's some things I need to sort out with the girls in a few minutes. I'll give you his address and call a cab."  
  
" Yeah, of course. Just send it to me, okay?" But before Spencer could lift Roddy up, he felt a rough tug at his hair.  
  
Roddy had forced a drunken kiss onto Spencer. A guitar chord was heard snapping the wrong note as it played an off key tone for a brief second.  
  
Tuesday got distracted by the scene in the distance and Carole slowed down her keyboard playing, to adjust to Tuesday, but neither stopped singing:  
 _Kiss me before the sunrise...  
Or I'm leaving you... tonight....  
My love found a place  
To stay and rest like bed  
Always and forever  
Meant to be together...  
If we could change this world...   
Today with you...  
_  
Spencer was finally able to get Roddy off of him, but somehow all the strength from his legs went to his arms and he had quite a grip as a drunkard.  
  
" Alright, Roddy, let's get you to a cab."  
" Dammit, dis mah job. I can't leave mah damn job."  
" Your boss can probably understand. Besides, you've been working hard, right?"  
" Cour...se I have!" Roddy was slurring his words pretty badly, urging Spencer to hurry to the front, where there was already a cab waiting.  
  
" H-heeeey..." Roddy sighed.  
" Hey...?" Spencer replied, indulging the drunken conversation starter.  
" Spencer... Am I an bad kisser?"  
" A bad kisser."  
" Oh no! I am?!"  
" No! I mean... That's not what I meant. I mean... You're drunk."  
" So what if I am? I schtill asked a question."  
" Well, it's hard to enjoy a kiss if someone forced it on you."  
" Well, here I friggin am, asking for a kiss." He said, sounding less drunk, still drunk, but with determination this time.  
" Consent doesn't exactly count if the one consenting is drunk." Spencer responded avoidingly, while reaching for the cab door.  
" Doesn't it? I wanted to kiss you before I was drunk, and...and that has to count for sumthin'. When I met ch'you earlier, I was just thin...king how attractive you are..."  
" Roddy, please just get in the car..."  
" If ya don't kiss me I'll give ya a hard time and won't go in!"  
" Damn it..." Spencer cursed and looked around, then approached Roddy's face with his, pressing his lips into his. Roddy wrapped his arms around Spencer's shoulders and as they took a breath during the kiss, Roddy used the opportunity to open up the kiss and use some tongue. Spencer responded to the advances and deepened the kiss. Just as he was going to wrap his arms around Roddy's waist, Spencer stopped himself and stopped the kiss.  
  
" This is wrong. I shouldn't be doing this to you."  
" Aww.... But it was fun, wasn't it?"  
" We need to stop."  
" Did ya at least like it?"  
" Y-yes, but... we're never doing that again. Now a deal's a deal. Get in the car."  
" Fiiiiiiiiiine."  
The two got into the car and rode all the way to Roddy's apartment complex.  
  
Spencer carried Roddy on his back up the stairs.  
He found Roddy some water and made him drink up to sober himself up. Although sobered up just a little, Spencer had to drag him to bed, at which point he tried to say goodbye, however...  
" Sleep here... Please."  
" Roddy, I shouldn't..."  
" Just stay. Please. I want someone here. Please. Please. Please..." Roddy grabbed the bottom of Spencer's shirt, tightly, so that he knew that it would tear if he tried to walk away.  
  
Spencer didn't want to seem like he was taking advantage of some guy he practically just met. Roddy wasn't exactly some guy, he was his sister's friend, he didn't want to make either of them uncomfortable if he accidentally did something inappropriate, although it was inappropriate enough to kiss him a second time. But the night was tiring, the music was loud and he was at that house for several hours after having a long day, or rather, days. He's been pulling all nighters all week due to school and had only gotten about three hours of sleep the previous night (and that week in total) before getting up early to spend time with his sister before she had to rehearse. He was at the end of his rope after carrying Roddy up the stairs and about to pass out.  
  
" I... I'll sleep here, fine, but just because I'm really tired. Nothing more than that, got it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't mean to make Spencer a shipwrecker, but I apologize in advance for tainting such a pure character and briefly after writing this, I found out that Lucien Dodge is his VA, who also voices K1-B0 from DRV3, so, again, I apologize for tainting such purity 😭


	4. The Broken Pieces Still Belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The consequences of Roddy's actions after the fundraiser come about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're interested, I've written a continuation to this story in Spencer's PoV starting at this point (between chapter 3 & 4) check it out if you happen to ship Kyle X Spencer! :)

_I'm... Home..._  
  
With a blurry vision, Roddy saw boxes stacked onto each other and his backpack on top of those.  
On the sofa facing his bed, he saw a beige and tan striped suit set into it neatly.  
 _Oh... Right... Ertegun bought that stuff for me yesterday... Huh? What's that....?_  
Next to his suit, folded up the same way was a plain sky blue one.  
Roddy looked down and noticed he still wore the same navy button up from the night before, but an arm was wrapped around his waist.  
  
He turned and saw behind him a very handsome man with bright blonde hair who seemed around the same age as himself, but slightly older, probably.  
" Wh-who..."  
  
The pounding hangover made it hard to put his memories together, but he just remembered that this was Tuesday's brother, Spencer, who he had only seen briefly once before at Carole's place, months ago and only had a real conversation with for the first time the night before.  
  
" Oh, Roddy, you're up."  
" Spencer... What happened?" He pulled away from Roddy and looked away, embarassed.  
" Well, last night, you had too much to drink and I brought you home. You kissed me and begged me to stay."  
" Ahhhh, Okay, I vaguely remember that..." He scratched his head and groaned, trying to place the events of the previous night in order.  
" Pyotr gave me some drinks.... I didn't want to seem like I got drunk off of those, so I drank more... I tried to go back to work... And kissed you. Then you brought me to a cab and we kissed again. I remember getting out of the cab, but it all stops there."  
" I see, so you don't remember anything else... Are you doing better now?"  
" Y-yeah... Sorry about being so forceful... And stuff... Like, I can't apologize enough for how I behaved... I swear I'm not like that normally. But could you fill me in on stuff that happened after?" Roddy asked, feeling more than just a little unnerved by the memory gap, to which he swore to himself never to drink again, but we all know what happens to a vast majority of people who tell themselves that.  
  
" You begged me to stay." Spencer started, " I was tired, so I said that I would only sleep here and nothing more. And even if you said you understood, you... Wanted to make out again. A lot." This account of events made Roddy blush a furious fuchsia tone, his face felt like coal and he wanted to scream at himself.  
  
" I'm really sorry! I've never been that drunk before! I don't know what came over me!! That's not how I really am! Honest!"  
" Is it, though?" That concerned look on Spencer's face gave Roddy a chill.  
" Alcohol doesn't exactly make people do things they would never do. It merely gives them the courage to act upon desires and repressed feelings. That's what I believe, anyways."  
Roddy felt a little called out when Spencer pointed this out.  
  
" Why did you want to kiss me so badly?" He asked, perplexed.  
" Well, you're attractive and, I... wanted to know if I was any good at it... I had kissing on the mind all day, you see..." He admitted, kind of squirming and at the same time, avoiding eye contact.  
" You only really met me that night, so there's been someone else on your mind, right?"  
" Yes. There was.... You see, I'm not very experienced and this person is, so I kind of wanted to practice and I guess I picked the first good looking person I saw."  
" So that's how it is." Spencer chuckled but could tell exactly what Roddy was thinking and feeling and it didn't seem too positive.  
  
" You put on quite a show last night, and I don't mean your assistance with the performances. That was pretty embarassing. However..." He cleared his throat to pause and compose himself, seeing Roddy with an upset look on his face to react to what he had just said...  
  
" You shouldn't feel ashamed of not having much experience, I mean it's not that uncommon at our age to be a little inexperienced. It kind of starts around this age, I'd say."  
" It... Does?"  
" The person you're into needs to understand that, alright?"  
" He probably does..."  
" Hmm, so it _is_ a guy?"  
" Ahh!!! Y-yes..."  
" Is it that boss of yours?"  
" Is it obvious?"  
" He looked a little jealous when I was talking to you last night. I could tell he was wanting to to kick me out. He even made up an excuse to drag you away. Did he make you do something he could've done himself?"  
" Yes, actually..." This was met by a hearty chuckle from Spencer.  
  
" That's a good sign."  
Spencer got up from the bed and grabbed a half-filled mug of water and a painkiller.  
" Take this. You must have a killer hangover. The whiskey was pretty strong."  
Roddy thanked him, then took the pill and downed the water as Spencer started getting dressed.  
" Do you know if he's into men for sure?"  
" Kind of... It's rare, but he does do stuff with men sometimes. Hold on, why do you ask?"  
" I want to see how your chances look. Just curious, really." He smiled at Roddy as he finished buttoning up his shirt.  
" I'm rooting for you, okay?" Spencer came closer and patted Roddy on the head.  
  
" But... If you ever want to _practice_ again, you can ask me. Even if you just want to make that boss of yours jealous again. Making out felt nice and all, but having a drunk partner and them potentially not remembering all the fun makes me feel uncomfortable. So, if you want to kiss me again, do it sober next time." Roddy could tell that Spencer was about to leave, so he grabbed him by the wrist, and standing up at that moment to face him.  
  
" H-hold on, Spencer. What did you mean by... _Rooting for me_?"  
" You have feelings for Ertegun, right?"  
" N-no, that's not it. I'm just lusting after him is all, I'll get over it! I'm just kind of weird and hormonal right now! It's not like I have that kind of romantic desire for anyone, especially not for someone like him."  
" Are you sure, Roddy? You didn't give me that impression last night." Roddy loosened his grip on Spencer just then, a bit confused.  
  
 _Huh? What does he mean?_  
" If you're just hormonal..." He said, walking Roddy into a corner, backing him up and trapping the shorter man between his arms against the wall.  
" Do you think you could do the kinds of things you imagine doing to Ertegun _with me_?"  
" Well, yes." Roddy muttered, cowering beneath him. He didn't seem confident enough for Spencer to believe him.   
" Prove it, th-" Spencer was interrupted mid sentence by Roddy's tongue entering his mouth.   
  
His kiss was indeed fuelled by a strong lust, just as it was the previous night. He held onto Spencer by the shoulders and then wrapped his arms around his neck to steer him in the bed's direction, forcefully pushing the taller man onto it, all still while their lips connected. Spencer wrapped a hand around his waist and the other hand held his back, pushing Roddy deeper into the kiss. Roddy slipped his arms down to undo Spencer's shirt buttons and pulled off his shirt and jacket, throwing them aside.   
  
Blonde hair tickled the side of his face as the other man lowered himself to kiss down his neck and on to his collarbone. He felt Spencer's bulge against his, urging Roddy to pull his underwear off, and while keeping a hand on Spencer to make him stay lying down, he moved up and started running his backside against the shaft of the man below him, repeatedly rubbing the area vertically until it stiffened.  
  
" D-damn... Roddy..."  
" I know...it's just... My body can't help itself."  
He unbuckled Spencer's belt and pulled his pants partway down.   
  
Roddy moved down a bit so that their dicks pressed against each other, then wrapped both hands around them and started tugging. Spencer moved closer and took the place of one of Roddy's hands, joining in.  
They adjusted to each other's rythm and started pulling in synch, their fingers intertwined.   
  
" Roddy... Come here." Spencer whispered with a raspy breath, struggling to breathe in the same rythm as their movements. He reached for the nape of Roddy's neck with his free hand and pulled him closer. Instinctively, they plunged into each other with mouths wide open. Their hands separated and they started tugging at only each other's shaft, allowing them to pick up the pace and go faster and harder. The intense, electrifying feeling made Roddy grab onto the blonde man's locks as his tongue tangled with the other.  
  
Impatiently, Spencer started unbuttoning the navy blue shirt partway and pulled it down to his waist after getting one of Roddy's arms out of the shirt sleeve while the other one was too busy jerking him off to bother with taking the sleeve off.  
  
Spencer's kisses trailed down Roddy's neck and the way he was getting pulled at down below, made him flinch, sucking at Roddy's skin harder than intended, leaving a mark.  
" Ah! That was good...! More!" Roddy sighed as his nipples perked up.  
Spencer licked down from that mark, making a short way down to his collarbone, again, sucking at his skin, but using his teeth this time, drawing out moans from the slender body he held.  
  
" Aah... Mmmhaaah!!! Good! It's really good!" Roddy yelled as Spencer's kisses softened and trailed down to his nipple, alternating between soft and aggressive sucking.  
" I... I'll cum!" Roddy moaned as Spencer bit into him.  
" I'll cum, too!"  
Their hands gripped tighter and faster, faster, faster...  
Roddy held onto Spencer for dear life with his free arm wrapped around his head.  
" Roddy, let's cum together...!"  
" I'm cumming!!! Ah! Holy crap...! Ahhhn! Ah! Ertegun!"  
Both grips tightened to a halt and streams of translucent white shot upwards, mostly landing onto Spencer's shoulder.  
  
They wrapped their arms around each other properly, panting heavily, gasping for air and sighing sighs of relief.  
" Haah... See?" Spencer said between breaths.  
" I... hah.... knew it... Told you... Haah... You had... feelings for him..." He said, smugly.  
" N-no... That's not true... Ahh... I don't... haah... I don't know why I said that..."  
" And yet, you yelled it just as you came... If a mere name can make you cum... I envy such a powerful name..." Spencer buried his face into Roddy's neck and pressed his lips in again to leave another mark.  
" Mmnh! That's not true... _You_ made me cum... With what you were doing to me down there... Ah!" At that moment, he was bit just slightly, but also felt two thumbs press against his hardened nipples, moving in circular motions.   
  
" So, do you want to do it again?" Spencer asked, in a flirting tone, but, as if his sentence weren't done. He came closer and whispered in a sultry tone softly into Roddy's ear:  
" _Or_ do you want to _go further_?"  
He pulled Spencer off of himself and kissed him as he slipped his hands to Roddy's ass, groping at him.  
" Roddy...."  
  
 _Huh_?  
  
Roddy stopped kissing Spencer, and at the open door stood none other than Ertegun.  
And in his view were Roddy's left side, the hickeys left on his neck and shoulder, the bodily fluids on Spencer's, the shirt he gave Roddy the day before, all crumpled up and halfway off its wearer.  
Ertegun was standing there, frozen up at the scene. He clicked his tongue and composed himself, stroking a hand through his silver hair.  
" Hey, uh, sorry for not knocking. I got a little worried when you left early and didn't respond to my messages. But I get it, so I'll leave you two alone now." And with that, Ertegun closed the door ever so gently.  
  
" Roddy?"  
He didn't respond, his face was completely red. He sunk his overheated face into Spencer's chest and sighed.  
" So? How did that make you feel?"  
" What?"  
" Your boss walking in on us."  
" Well, if you're talking about my boss, I guess it was weird... But he's also my friend..."  
" So, weirder?"  
" I guess... Maybe... But if I'm being honest, it's usually me walking in on him, so it's weird enough that the tables have turned."  
" But, let's say if it were someone like Gus or Carole..."  
" I guess it wouldn't be the same. I'm not really thinking about how I'd feel, more how they'd react."  
" If it were Gus... He'd probably get a bit protective of me, no matter how angry he always seems with me. I guess I'd start worrying for your safety if it were him."  
" He sounds scarier than he is when you put it like that." Spencer chuckled.  
  
" Carole would never have done that. Despite... How she is, she's very polite and would definitely knock first."  
" Would you have expected Ertegun to react like that?"  
" Not really. Sort of? I guess I expected him to knock... But then again, I wasn't answering my phone..."  
" Roddy... Didn't he seem... _Really_ upset to you?"  
" A little annoyed, maybe..."  
" That guy definitely has feelings for you."  
" Are you kidding? Have you seen him? Heard anything about him? He's a womanizer."  
" He's also kind of into men."  
" Even if he is, what makes you think he's into me? Sure, he seemed as if he didn't like seeing you and I together but, I bet he's just disappointed in me. From his point of view, it looks like I left work early to fool around with some random guy I practically just met."  
" Sure, deny it all you want."  
Spencer dragged Roddy downwards, rolling over and pinning him.  
  
" Why don't you think he's into you?"  
" I'm not... His type? Well, I just don't have the same sex appeal as the women I always see him with..."  
" Of course you don't, because you're not a woman." He pointed it out so bluntly as if it were the most obvious thing to notice, which it was.  
" You _do_ have sex appeal. It's just different." He pushed some of Roddy's hair off of his face and stroked his cheek softly.  
" I think you're very attractive and I bet a lot of other men out there would think so, too. So why not him?"  
" He..." Roddy's lips were covered by Spencer's index, halting his retort.  
" No excuses. You're a smart guy. I don't need to hear your answer. Just think it over and you'll see the truth."  
  
A moment of silence, Roddy was speechless, and he was beginning to see what Spencer was saying, how there's that floating possibility that Ertegun has an interest in him that might not be surface only. Even Gus has pointed out that possibility and he's barely even been around the guy. It's new and crazy to him, but he has no choice but to consider it after all that has happened in the past few months.   
  
_I... Just don't know if I feel the same. If it was so easy for me to just screw around with Spencer like this... It wouldn't be good for Ertegun if I felt differently.  
_  
" M...maybe... I , er... guess... I could, well... potentially... see what you mean when you say he might have feelings for me." Roddy hesitantly admitted.  
" Although... Spencer..."  
" Yes?"  
" Have you ever been in love?"  
" Not really. Couple of crushes here and there, nothing too big. I figure it's similar, but one is much more intense and involves a much deeper connection between two people. At least, that's what I've always expected it to be. See, I'm not all that experienced in this stuff either, but I'm confident when it comes to reading people, you know?"  
  
" So what about me? Can you read my feelings?"  
" I can, actually. All this denial you've got going on, it's to protect you and those around you. It's obvious that guy likes you. You fooled around with me as a defense mechanism. You fear that he likes you and that it won't go well, so he'll end up rejecting you. You'd much rather never start a relationship with him in the first place than risk not being with him eventually. If you avoid it, brush it off, pass it off for temporary lust... You can avoid thinking that you want more, thus, you won't ever need to leave his side."  
" That's some very detailed insight..."  
" Let's just say I know a thing or two about being in denial from personal experience... Plus the things that you said last night enlightened me a bit."  
" So... If I do want more from him... And only if that were the case... You know... What do you suggest I do?"  
" I think... I should take a shower before we finish this conversation. I feel ridiculous doing this with my pants halfway down and spunk all over my shoulder."  
  
After taking that well needed shower together, the pair went to the dry cleaners. Roddy, of course had to wear a scarf for the time being, with all the markings on him. Spencer advised him not to come on too strong next time he saw Ertegun, but ask how he sees him, just to be slightly indirect, but to move forward as much as possible.  
  
_So next time I go into work, I need to apologize to him for that scene... Make the nonexistent relationship with Spencer clear and ask what he thinks of me... However that particular question decides to end up coming out of my mouth. I'm just expecting to word vomit._  
Roddy paid the dry cleaners and checked his bank balance.  
  
 _Whoa. I got paid... It's a lot more than I'd expect... Actually, he paid me for the time I missed. But, he does that quite often, right? For other people, I mean... I don't normally miss work. Maybe it's because the money transfer was set up in advance. No, that can't be... He stopped doing that kind of thing a while ago.  
_  
" What's wrong?"  
" N-nothing. Really."  
" Well, you have to work with my sister later today, right? I'm supposed to go meet her soon. Why don't you join us?"  
" Are you sure? Wouldn't I be intruding?" Spencer saw the nervousness on Roddy's face and heard it in his voice as he seemingly tried to back out of the offer.  
  
" Carole will be there, too. We're all friends. No matter what happened between the two of us between last night and now."  
  
_Okay, so, we're going to ignore what happened. I guess I can do that.  
  
_ For the most part, Roddy was able to not think about what he and Spencer did earlier that day. They all went to an amusement park for a few hours, then went shopping for the girls, getting them a new amp, new clothes and some groceries. He was in close contact with Spencer quite often and noticed he didn't really get flustered around him.   
  
_It's so different than with Ertegun. I always get a little overheated when he's close, when he touches my shoulder, when he speaks close to my ear. There's none of that with Spencer and he's done that so often while we were hanging out. I keep thinking about Ertegun, but it's not because I like him, right? It's just because of what happened earlier with him. That's right. That's definitely it... Next time I see him, it'll go back to normal, I'll go to work as if none of that happened because it's just that simple..._  
  
  
  
There's just this one problem: It's not actually that simple.  
  
  
  
It's been two weeks since he last saw Ertegun. Roddy tried to contact him within a few days after the fundraiser to ask about the spare robots he programmed to help for the party. When Roddy had no answer for a full day, he went over to the house to see the AI idly making themselves at home. They had become self aware after being left alone without a human in sight for days, surrounded by other AI and had to be reset and put away in storage.   
  
  
Ertegun was nowhere to be found and obviously hadn't been home for a while. Roddy checked with the clubs Ertegun was supposed to do events at in the next month and none of them had heard from him.   
  
  
" You haven't heard from him in _**that**_ long?!" Carole yelled, completely shook by Roddy's claim.  
" Shouldn't you have made a missing persons report by now?" Tuesday asked softly, trying to stare at Roddy's face intently as he lowered his head, facing down. The three friends were sitting down at a café and the people around turned their heads to their direction for a few seconds.  
  
" Well, of course I've gone to the police and tried, but they told me that his bank account has been used through biometric paypass. He's not actually considered missing, but he hasn't contacted anyone he knows lately."  
" I don't know, it's still kinda sketchy... Even if it's said that payment method is the most secure nowadays, there could be someone skilled enough to fake it."   
He understood Carole's skepticism, after all, she was talking to a pretty good hacker right at this moment.  
" I've actually tried to access his purchase history and found surveillance footage of him at certain places. He seems to be alone and not being dragged around by anyone."  
" That's strange... But has he missed any shows he was supposed to go to?" Tuesday pried, as she was sipping into her black tea.  
" Just one. I was able to get a contact to fill in for him the day before, but I don't think he'll be available again anytime soon and I don't know how much more damage control I can do, because after all, my contacts aren't infinite and I can't exactly ask you for help either because if I have to find a replacement, they have to be able to do similar music to his style you know, while all of you are great, your styles are very different, so it wouldn't suit what his audience would expect. Plus, Ertegun's got a lot of places to be in the next week, that includes the one for tomorrow night and only---"  
" Roddy," Carole interrupted as he was talking speedily, spiralling into an anxious wreck.  
" ... You're an AI programmer and engineer, right?"  
" Yeah. What of it?"  
" It's not part of your job description to do that kind of thing. It's not like you're his secretary or anything. It's literally not your job and not your problem." As much sense as Carole made, she was wrong about most of it.  
" It's true. I have no obligation to do that for him. I did it because I was capable of handling it for him. Because he's a friend who depended on me. He'd want me to. If you were in his place, I'd do the same for you in a heartbeat."  
" And you actually have." Tuesday added.  
" Yes. And I'll do what I can while I still can, and if something goes wrong because he didn't show up and I couldn't fix it, well, that's all there is to it." And with that, he got up and headed towards the front counter.  
" Where are you going?"   
" I'm paying, but also, I need to meet up with someone who's trying to help me fix the next mess."  
  
It was the longest, most tiring and most headache-inducing day spent mostly on damage control.  
Roddy walked into his apartment and sat back in his armchair. Same chair he first wanked in to Ertegun that one time.   
  
Although, it wasn't just the one time. He had done it time and again, even in this period that the man was supposedly " _missing_ ". While having all that fun in his big comfy chair, sometimes taking whiffs of that stolen t-shirt, he barely and only just barely, thought of the fun he had with Spencer that one morning. In fact, he was actually planning on having Spencer over the next morning again for some more of what they did last time and then more if they felt like it.   
  
However, he didn't depend on memories of anyone to get off, nor did he think he needed Spencer at all. It was just a little change of pace to him. All he needed was to look up photos of Ertegun, some were photoshoots of him shirtless, some were candid paparazzi photos, some were candid shirtless photos. No matter, Roddy had gotten off to every sort of photo of the world famous DJ.  
  
This time, he didn't do any of that. He was just worried about how much more he'd have to think about him being missing. The photos were there just because he missed Ertegun. He just sat himself down, arms around his knees and stared at the photos while listening to Ertegun's music.   
  
Roddy felt himself nodding off due to having such an exhaustive day, but he tried to stay awake as best he could.  
  
 _Where the hell on this godforsaken planet are you and why don't you want to be found? It can't possibly be my fault, right?  
_  
" _Roddy, this is all your faul_ t."  
 _Yeah, I can hear him saying it now. Telling me this is all my fault. Wait, no. That's unlike him. He wouldn't ever do that_.   
  
His chair spun around and there he saw it. Ertegun stood there, a complete and utter mess, dressed in his black t-shirt and yellow suit, the jacket having a couple stains and looking as unkempt as his hair. Looking like he hasn't washed his face or taken a shower in over a week and smelling like it, too, no, he reeks of something else entirely, not body odour. He was plastered with the stench of liquor and quite plastered himself, with his half dead eyes looking like they were nodding off to sleep, as if he were to pass out where he stood, or rather, he was merely leaning into the armchair Roddy sat in, holding it by the armrests.  
  
" Roddy, Roddy... Roddy..."  
" E-Ertegun! Where have you been? I tried to report you as a missing person to the police! You missed a show and I scheduled you a replacement for tomorrow! You haven't answered your calls! People are worried!"  
" No, nah... that's not true...."  
" What are you saying?! Of course people are worried!"  
" That's wrong. Not people..."  
" Well, surely, AI couldn't worry about you."  
" Not people... just person. Only one person cares..."  
Roddy just couldn't bring himself to admit out loud that Ertegun was talking about him, even if he knew for sure.  
" Why are you here?"  
" Roddy, I need you!"  
" Huh?!"  
" Of course you knew that..."  
" No, I-I-I... Re-really didn't!"  
" Roddy... I need you...."  
" Yeah, you already said that."  
" But you didn't understand."  
" I.... "  
  
Ertegun grabbed Roddy by his jawline, squeezing his cheeks between his thumb and his index. It was a strange and aggressive way to hold someone, so naturally, it made Roddy quite uncomfortable, freaked out, even.  
  
" What are you doing?!" Roddy yelped.  
He grabbed onto Ertegun's arm, trying to pry him off of himself, but even in his severely weakened state, he was so much stronger than Roddy was.  
  
" Don't push me away... Don't leave me... Please don't leave me, Roddy, you're all I have... You're all I have that's real..." His voice shook and trembled, there was distress and desperation in his voice along with genuine dread that showed that he really, truly, believed what he said deep down, and that being intoxicated as he is was the only way to bring those feelings to the surface.   
  
Roddy stopped struggling, no longer trying to pull that arm off, but just gently hanging onto it. Instead of forcefully holding Roddy by his jawline, he held his cheek, caressing it slightly.  
" Roddy, I..."  
He inched closer and closer, until their lips connected.  
  
 _Ertegun is... Seriously drunk right now... And he's kissing me... He's kissing me. Ah... He's opening my mouth, his tongue is slipping in... It doesn't taste so good, he reeks of beer... But... He's really good at this... And past the scent of beer, I can smell his scent... Is that weird? No, I've been working closely with him for years. Of course I'd know this smell. It's the same smell from that t-shirt I'd wear and take a whiff of when I'd masturbate for hours to pictures of him. He's taking my tongue into his mouth now and... Ah...  
  
_ Roddy got sucked into kissing back instead of passively receiving the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Ertegun's neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss, embracing the bigger man with all his warmth. With one knee, he straddled the chair and fell into Roddy's arms. Ertegun shoved his hands up Roddy's shirt and played with his nipples using his thumbs, moving away from Roddy's mouth, he kisses his chin, trailing the kisses down his neck, leaving a mark right on his collarbone.  
  
" You're mine, Roddy... You're mine... You hear me? You're all mine... You belong to me..."  
" Ertegun..." Roddy sighed and got up, pushing back, pinning the taller man against the wall, smashing his lips into his as the way he held him became more aggressive and animalistic, even as Ertegun remained gentle and docile.   
He grabbed Roddy by the hips and lifted him off the ground, making Roddy gasp and open his mouth wide to receive Ertegun's tongue in and inherently, he wrapped his legs around his waist and his arms around his head, holding on for dear life, all still while forcing him deeper and deper into the kiss, getting messier with every second as he was being carried to his bedroom.  
  
Roddy was thrown into the bed as Ertegun leaped onto him. They went in for another kiss as the man below pulled off the filthy yellow suit jacket off and threw it to the ground. Roddy wore only his denim trousers and white shirt, however, Ertegun tore the shirt apart from the collar and straight down the middle, but Roddy couldn't care less about the shirt because he was so turned on by the kisses being placed on his neck. After trailing his kisses down to his chest, Ertegun started sucking at Roddy's nipple, making him draw his breath in sharply, grabbing onto Ertegun's hair and pulling him off so that they could go back to playing with each other's tongues. The more muscular man started grinding his crotch onto Roddy's, extracting exhilarated moans from him, breaking the kiss.  
  
" Haah...ah... Uhnnnn... Ahhhn... Ertegun...! Feels nice...! I like it... More... Ertegun... Erte... Mmph!" He was interrupted with another open mouth kiss and felt muscular arms slither around his slender waist.  
  
They turned over and Roddy was on top, body pressed against Ertegun's. He had his face cupped in his hands and felt a stubble scratch his palms slightly as they kept kissing. Roddy felt large hands on his lower back, pushing their crotches together in a rythmic, sensual and wavy movement.   
  
As he pushed back, following the movements with his waist, going along with the flow of the wavy motions, pushing his crotch in slower, but harder into him, blood rushed to his lower region and his mind buzzed with a numbing sensation and sexual arousal that was exponential to any other time he masturbated or even fooled around with someone.   
  
It was Ertegun.   
  
He was the cause of this pleasure.   
  
Somehow, because it was specifically him, it felt so much better than any other time. The torn shirt came off and the denim pants as well, along with Roddy's underwear were taken off. He was vulnerable and naked in front of the man he loved to fantasize about constantly as of late. He was laid to rest on his back and was pinned down, then given one more short kiss before the kisses trailed down his body lower, and lower, and lower... And so much lower than expected.  
  
" Roddy... You're a lot bigger than anyone would suspect... It's pleasantly astonishing...."  
" Huh? Ertegun... What... Wait, what?!"  
Ignoring Roddy's confused reactions, he took the erect shaft into his mouth, reaching far into his throat.   
  
" Er... Ertegun! You're... Taking my.... In your mouth?!"  
Again, his reaction was ignored, it's not as if the man was capable of responding with his mouth full.   
  
Slowly, the lips around the base of his cock tightened and every nerve on it that was inside his mouth felt the pressure of the suction. A jolt shot down to his toes, making his feet uncontrollably arch, his legs spazzed out from the pleasure as his dick was tugged on by the wet orifice, slowly, just ever so slowly, driving the young man crazy with nothing but arousal and a blanked out mind.   
  
As Ertegun pulled his lips all the way to the tip, he let his lips pop off, releasing a quenched exhale as he dragged the back of his tongue down the shaft, allowing his drool to coat it thoroughly.  
" I'm going to have some fun with this... I haven't done this in a pretty long time, so don't expect too much..."  
  
 _If he's capable of deep throating like that while not doing his best.... God damn, that's insane... I don't know if I can handle it. I might pass out from the excitement...  
_  
He started circling the tip with the tip of his tongue, making Roddy squirm every time the cycle restarted. Both of them could feel the receiver twitching between their breaths as he slowly tried to get a grip onto the bedsheets when the tip started getting little pecks that escalated to suckling and then oral penetration.   
  
Roddy couldn't believe this was happening, but was very happy that it was. He's asked himself several times if he was dreaming, and considered never waking up if it were the case. He just wanted to drown in this pleasure.  
  
" Ertegun..." He moaned, grabbing the head of silver hair.   
" I love it... You're amazing... Ahh... Hah....muh.. more-ah! Mae.. hnngh..make... me...c-cum...! It's so muh... So much!!! Ahhh! Mnghhh...! I love it, Ertegun!"  
  
Once he slowly worked up from the base again, Ertegun held the tip in his mouth, still sucking, but somehow making his tongue do circular motions around it, tugging at the tip, but sucking so hard he couldn't let go.   
Then, he took the entire lenght in again, receding up to the tip, letting his lips hit the base again and again and again and again and ag---  
  
" Aahhn! Ertegun!" Roddy cried in bliss as his hips started convulsing, his head was thrown back, his hands gripped the sheets so tightly that he was about to tear them apart to shreds and between the trembling legs, his throbbing dick started releasing his seed straight into his partner, flooding his throat.   
  
Completely inebriated, Roddy looked down, and in his blurry vision, he saw the man below with his cock in his mouth. The bliss he felt in everything he felt up until that moment was like none he's ever experienced while masturbating or jerking off with someone else.   
  
This was uncharted territory, an island of pleasure he had just now discovered and he wanted to drift away to it forever. While satisfied, he somehow craved more and stayed content with the fact that someone like Ertegun just gave him a blowjob. His mind was still processing that fact. Ertegun tried to keep his lips firmly sealed onto Roddy, however, the fact that he was becoming flacid didn't help along with the human limitations of a reasonable gag reflex.  
  
Ertegun swallowed as much as he could while allowing the rest to drip into his hands.  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy.... You know you've..."  
 _Huh? What? Ertegun... No... Don't... Leave me... Stay..._  
The orgasm's intensity drew the energy out of him as he drifted into unconsciousness...


	5. Give Me A Sign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am the only one who can ever transcend me.  
> \- Ertegun

Roddy woke up to an empty bed completely naked.  
His dimly lit apartment was relatively messy, still having a stack of unopened mecha figure boxes scattered across the place and a pair of jeans lying on the floor. Last night, he was sure to have had a really good time, sexually speaking, of course, however, he wasn't at all sure if what he recalls was a dream or not.  
  
A steamy makeout session with one of the hottest bachelors on Mars, followed by a blowjob from that same person. Not to mention, Roddy remembers a lot of spacing out, so he couldn't really tell whether it was because he was tired and he could barely process the pleasure he was receiving or if he was actually dreaming that entire thing.  
  
His doorbell rang and he walked up to the door wearing nothing, though luckily, he found a towel on the way there.  
" Hey, impatient aren't you?"  
It was Spencer, obviously making a comment on how Roddy only had a towel on.  
  
" I...wanted to cut to the chase."  
" Okay then." Spencer chuckled, letting himself in and closing the door behind him.  
" So, how about today we... Go all the way?"  
Roddy blushed once the suggestion came out. The taller man took him by the chin and aimed Roddy's avoiding gaze straight back at himself.  
  
" Answer me, Roddy. I need your consent or we're not going anywhere." He stated firmly, and was completely serious, in fact, he seemed like he'd just leave if he didn't answer.  
  
" H-hold on! Of course I want to! No, I need to! Just... Don't leave me hanging!"  
" Hey, it won't be your first time will it? Are you saving it for... You know? Him?" The implication that he was indirectly asking Roddy if he was a virgin kind of offended him, although in reality, he wasn't, he might as well have been.  
" I'm not a... Well, I've done it before, twice, even... but I can't remember too clearly. I really regret it... Not remembering. I was underage and drunk at the time, so the details are blurry." Roddy admitted it hesitantly, ashamed a little and still trying to avoid looking at Spencer.  
  
" I won't be your first man, will I?" Spencer asked, slipping his hands down to the smaller man's waist and pulling him closer.  
" Second. Take it or leave it." Roddy smirked as he slipped his arms over Spencer's shoulders.  
  
" You drive a hard bargain." Spencer started kissing Roddy's forehead and then, went in for a French kiss. Pulling away, he bent down and picked him up like a bride and carried him to the bedroom, where he laid him down on his bed and untied the towel.  
" It's good to have this here, or else it would've gotten _really_ messy."  
" It kind of already is."  
After one more kiss, Spencer trailed his kisses down Roddy's chest and kissed the tip of his erection.  
Tracing down his long shaft with his tongue, and lifted Roddy's bottom half, making him hold his knees against his shoulders, legs spread wide and pointing upwards.  
  
Spencer started rimming the back entrance, tracing circles onto it, drenching it with his saliva. Using one hand, he jerked off the man he held and with the other hand, he started inserting a finger, hooking it in and pushing in and out repeatedly until he could insert, two, then three fingers. Roddy felt his legs start to shake as Spencer's fingers reached deep enough to hit the prostate gland.  
  
" Inside me...get in already..."  
" Of course..."  
" Take your clothes off, though... It's embarrassing being the only one naked..."  
Spencer pulled out a handful of condom packets from his pocket and set them next to Roddy.  
  
" Came prepared, did you?" He asked as he eagerly watched Spencer undress himself.  
" Of course I did. What kind of man did you take me for?" Spencer replied, bordering between offended and flirting.  
  
Roddy had taken a condom out and both men knelt on the bed facing each other.  
" I'll put it on you." Roddy said and received only a smile as a response before a kiss. He was able to put it on Spencer without looking, pinching the tip and sliding it on gently.   
  
As they finished playing with each other's tongues, Spencer ran his hand through the red hair as he received a little kiss mark from Roddy on his neck making him sharply gasp and moan.  
" What position do you want?" Roddy asked as he gently bit into Spencer.  
" Let's do it from behind. I want to jerk you off while we do it."  
" Fair enough."  
  
Roddy turned around and with a lifted ass, he set his chest against the bed and threw his arms back to spread his cheeks for him, inviting him in.  
  
" Come on... Do it." He teased as the other man approached him. His tip slipped in easily. Spencer inched in slowly and carefully, stretching Roddy out in a cautious manner.  
  
" Fnnngh!" He cried, feeling his backside being spread wide. He could feel the other man exhaling onto his nape and pressing his abdomen against his back. It took a few small thrusts to slide completely inside.  
" Ungh! Haaah... Ahh... Uhn...." Roddy moaned with a quivering voice as Spencer hit the sweet spot.  
  
" Found it again..."   
Without pulling out, he grinded his tip harder into that spot, extracting moans from the fragile one beneath him.  
  
" You'll... Ahh... Break me.... Ah... Ueh... Ungh...."  
" You're really liking this aren't you?"  
" O..ah... Course I am..." Roddy sighed, pushing back against the man engulfing him.  
  
" Except... I know you want to say his name." Spencer pulled out harshly and slammed right back in.  
  
" Huh?" Roddy muttered as he gasped softly.  
  
" I don't mind. Say his name. Scream it, even. It turns me on when you lose control like that. Pretend I'm him. You can, right?" Spencer teased him with a couple more slow thrusts.  
  
" Ah...a-are you sure?" Roddy moaned and yelped as Spencer slipped all the way in to a stop, exhaling into his ear.  
  
" I mean... It's why we chose to do it from behind, right?"  
" Sh..shut up and start moving... Please...don't stop..."  
" You can beg better than that."  
" Please.... F...f....fuck me... Ram it into me as hard as you can... And pour it all inside of me... Please... Please, fuck me, Ertegun..."  
" Louder, Roddy..."  
" F..FUCK ME! ERTEGUN!"  
And with that, there was a loud slam, plowing right into his prostate.  
  
" That was pretty hot, Roddy." Spencer whispered as he kept slowly thrusting in as hard as he possibly could at such a slow pace.  
  
" Ahhhhh.... So gooooood... Ah! Ah! Ahn! Amazing! Ertegun... Ertegun! More! Yes! Ertegun!"  
Spencer slammed into Roddy again and again, picking up the pace bit by bit as it progressed, slipping a hand down to Roddy's waist, then lower to reach down and jerk him off.   
  
" Ah... Too intense! I don't know if I can... Roddy... I won't hold on for long..."  
Roddy squirmed and moaned under Spencer as the pace picked up both in how he was getting tugged and how he was getting plowed.  
The grip on Roddy's appendage grew tighter and tighter.  
" Ahhn...! Ah...! You'll tear it off of me! You'll break me in half! Ah....nghh! I love it! E-Ertegun!"  
Spencer's thrusts moved up to an insane speed for another minute until he blew his load inside of the boy beneath him as they both screamed at the height of their mutual pleasure.  
  
There was too much for the condom to contain, they both felt it burst inside.  
  
" Ahh... I'm sorry... It's going to be messy inside of you... The condom..."  
" I feel it filling me...! I love it, Ertegun...! It's amazing... I love receiving loads of cum... It's all sticky and hot..."  
Roddy sighed in utter ecstasy, spilling into the hand that held him and overflowing onto the towel beneath them.  
  
" You also came all over my hand..." Spencer showed Roddy his jizz-soaked hand as he pulled out his flacid cock slowly. He felt a tongue slithering all over his hand, licking the semen off of it.  
  
" That's dirty of you."  
" Just trying to clean it for you."  
" You want to go another round?"  
" I expected to."  
Roddy pulled the broken condom off of his partner and grabbed another one.  
  
" I don't think it's worth using any more of these since it's already all over my insides. Besides..."  
" ...it makes great lube." Spencer finished Roddy's sentence and pinned him down. They were face to face in this dark room, where a dark curtain blocked the light of day, Roddy's face happened to be in the light peeking through the crack of the curtain.  
  
" You're cute, Roddy..."  
He didn't know what to say. All he could do was blush.  
" Just do it to me again already..." He commanded, ever so shyly.  
" Hold on..."  
Spencer moved some of that red hair out of his face and pinned it behind his ear, trailing his fingers down his neck.  
  
" I didn't do this..."  
" What?"  
" Roddy, we haven't done anything to each other in two weeks."  
" Yeah?"  
" You have hickeys here, and a few light ones a little lower... It's strange I didn't notice... But it is dark in here."  
" Didn't you do those?"  
" No... I didn't."  
They paused for a few seconds, awkwardly looking away from each other.  
  
" It's a shame the condom broke."  
" H-hey! What's _that_ supposed to mean?!"  
" Sorry. It just came out."  
" Look, it's been years since I last had sex. Doesn't matter if you believe me or not. What's true is true."  
Spencer slipped his hand down to start tugging onto Roddy again..  
  
" So, are you saying that no one else has touched you here recently?"  
" Ah... ugh... I... Ahhhn... Didn't realize..."  
" How did you not? Make me understand."  
He felt Spencer's grip getting firmer and he slowly, but steadily pulled onto Roddy.  
  
" I thought... It was a dream..."  
" What was?"  
" Mmngh... Man... Walked into my... home office..."  
Spencer immediately stopped.  
  
" Hold on, so, some random guy just walked into your apartment and you _just allow_ him do things to you?!"  
" Ah... He wasn't random."  
  
Roddy sat himself down properly on the bed and Spencer sat beside him.  
  
" It was Ertegun. I thought it wasn't real because he was acting really off."  
" There were rumours all over the media saying he's actually gone missing."  
" He was!" Roddy shouted, but trying to calm himself down, he cleared his throat.  
  
" Nobody's heard from him since the fundraiser and he was completely intoxicated when he was here." Roddy sighed as Spencer scratched his head.  
  
" You don't think it was because of us, was it?"  
" Huh?"  
" I mean, what am I saying? That's _obviously_ the reason. It seriously upset him more than he showed."  
" There's no way he'd do that for such a reason, I mean, he can have any woman he wants at his arm, why would he be upset over me being with you?"  
" Cut it out, Roddy. I feel bad for the guy. Open your eyes. He has feelings for you. It's impossible to deny it any more." There was a moment of silence, accompanied by a stern look on Spencer's face.  
  
" I like being by Ertegun's side. I want it to stay that way... I don't want to date him. Because if I do, I'll end up like all the women he throws away after a few weeks. Forgotten." Roddy wrapped his arms around his legs and buried his face into his knees.  
  
" What makes you think he'd do that to _you_?"  
" Because I've been by his side for too long! I _know_ him! He's an awful person to date! How many times do you think I've seen him seduce a woman while we were _at work_ of all places, only to see him block the same one on social media a month later?! The guys I've seen him with, I never saw them again! I'm not an idiot, alright?! Even if I were _egotistical_ enough to believe he liked _me_ of all people, the plain Jane looking weeb programmer who sits in the corner, who does most of the tech work, being a wallflower... Don't you think I've considered the possibility that he likes me?! Don't you think I've seen the signs?! The way he whispers in my ear, the way he touches me when no one is watching?! If I date him, I'm just another fling and eventually, he's going to stop calling me into work forever! I like my job, he's my favourite employer! I don't want to lose this just because I felt like changing our dynamic."  
  
" Is that it? Is it really all about your job? Because... "  
  
" No offense, Spencer, but some of us _have to actually work_ for a living."  
  
Yes, it was pretty blunt to say, but it had to be said. No matter how one could put it, their situations are to be considered. Spencer Simmons was a rich kid in his early twenties with a limitless credit card for an allowance, whose college tuition is fully paid by mommy dearest, a politician that allows him to live in her mansion rent-free in an upscale neighborhood in the richest area on Mars, where it was commonplace to own a private jet or helicopter or whatever airship they desired. He had no right, nor the insight to tell Roddy how to manage his way to make a living because unlike Spencer, Roddy had to constantly be between jobs since his mid-teens to support himself.  
  
Even Spencer's own sister, who had run away from home, would have had infinitely more of a right to tell Roddy what to do because unlike her brother, she had at the very least been in a state of poverty where she literally had nothing but a guitar and the clothes on her back and needed to resort to a minimum wage job. That was the bare minimum.   
  
" As much as you sympathize, you can't exactly empathize with me nor him."  
" How can you say that?"  
He just noticed that he seemed to have struck a nerve with Spencer.  
  
" To be honest, I empathize plenty with him. Ertegun and I are a lot alike to be honest. We were both born into money, so we both grew up having it easy with rich parents giving us whatever. The hard part is discerning what we are handed and what we truly want."  
This took Roddy by surprise: up until now, he'd been so self-centered and only thought of his own feelings. He never really stopped to wonder what went on in Spencer's head.  
  
" If you haven't already noticed, I've been trying to let off steam. I'm trying to follow in my sister's footsteps and discover what I like, go wild and do whatever I feel like doing, discovering things I didn't know I liked. I mean, I didn't always know the difference between what I liked and what my mother raised me to like. I started by dropping my political science courses and taking electives related to music. So, Roddy..."  
He turned, only now noticing that Spencer had made his way to the window and was now opening the curtains.  
  
" Even if he dropped everyone else, who are you to judge that he hasn't found the one he truly likes?" It made much more sense coming from Spencer. Roddy could never find a way to make sense of this entire emotional mess on his own.  
  
" Roddy... You need to have more faith in yourself. I haven't even known you all that long, but... I can tell that you're a person worth loving. You deserve to be happy with the person you want to be happy with. Especially since he definitely wants the same from you."  
" But, Spencer..."  
" No _buts_. That guy needs help finding what he needs. From what I can tell, he went missing on a bender. Someone has to help him get back on track and it should probably be you."  
" A... Bender?"  
" He hasn't been missing against his will. And you said he was intoxicated. So he's probably thrown himself into alcohol and maybe... even drugs this entire time."  
" What should I do, then? This isn't just about people's feelings anymore... He'll need medical attention."  
" Get him checked out. And when he's doing better, make sure you tell him you love him."  
" But I don't..."  
" Then take this time to realize that you love him, then tell him. Doesn't he deserve that?"  
  
 _Although, I didn't need to wait that long. Today is Wednesday. And Ertegun was at the event he was supposed to show up at in a club downtown, talking to the man I scheduled to replace him this evening. He just happened to show up, I guess. He's wearing his usual yellow jacket like a cape. I only wondered why for a second, then I saw him turn around. He had a cast on his left arm and it was being supported by a blue sling that hung over his neck. I don't think his arm was hurt last night... Did that happen in just a few hours? Besides the injury, he looks fine mentally, I mean, he's acting sociable and charismatic like he always is, but that's surface only. Would he actually really be okay?  
_  
Before he knew it, Ertegun had walked up to him, laying his hand on Roddy's shoulder. It made Roddy shiver, just slightly, before settling himself into the cool warmth of this man's gentle, calming eyes.  
  
" Roddy, I have to thank you for finding me a replacement for tonight. I don't know what I'd do without you."  
" H-hey, what happened to your arm?!"   
  
_Was he seriously going to ignore that?! It looks like a serious injury. I vaguely remember him carrying me last night, so this must have happened after.  
  
_ " This? No big deal. Doc says two weeks should do. What are you, worried?" He said it in such a nonchalant manner that made Roddy's blood boil. This bigshot had no goddamn awareness of the trouble he had caused and if he did, he was pretty unapologetic about it.  
  
" Of course I'm worried! You went missing, then you showed up at my place completely plastered and now you've got a serious injury but you're acting like nothing happened!"  
" Roddy." Ertegun said quietly and firmly to interrupt a rant that might continue on and escalate. He grabbed Roddy by the wrist and dragged him to the men's restroom and locked the door.  
  
" I'm sorry I made you worry. And I'm sorry if I did anything else you didn't like." Ertegun apologized wholeheartedly, but there was a little something that was off about his apology.  
  
" You don't have anything _specific_ to be sorry about?" Roddy pried, hoping that they could finally talk about the strange sexual tension between them.  
  
" Not that I remember. I can't remember much of the past two weeks, really. By the look on your face, I can tell I did something seriously bad, right? Is it unforgivable?" The man had his head down, this prideful, usually narcissistic man looked about ready to bow, to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness for something he supposedly can't remember.  
  
" Roddy..." He reached out to lay a hand on Roddy's shoulder again, but this time, the younger man resisted his touch and gave him an angry stare, without a mere blink.  
" Don't... Distract me..."  
" What do you mean?"  
  
 _What do I mean?! Is it not obvious?! Am I not being clear enough?! He's acting like the past two weeks was no big deal! He's trying to brush it off! He's touching me... And the way he touches me... Everytime it just make me feel so... So...! My heart just runs wild everytime! Why does he make me feel like this?!  
_  
" What were you thinking?! Why did you run off like that?! Why did you just disappear?! Why didn't you answer anyone's calls?! I'd get it if you just ignored _my_ calls, but the people you made arrangements with..." He paused and took a deep breath, not knowing how to reason with such an impulsive man.  
  
" I'm trying to make up for it. Really. I am. You're the last person whose calls I'd want to ignore."  
" Then why did you do it?! Why did you ignore me?! Why did you go off the grid for two weeks?! Is it me?! Do I make you uncomfortable?!"  
" Yes... I mean no! Roddy, I can't exactly say... I mean... You're the person I trust the most, you know. I need you, Roddy." With those words, he felt a chill travel up his body.  
  
" You... Said that... To me last night."  
" Did I?"  
" If you trust me, tell me why you disappeared!"  
" Roddy, you don't understand just how important _you_ are to me, and..."  
A rattle and a slamming knock banged the door.  
" Why's this locked?!" A man shrieked from outside.  
" _Tch_..."  
With an upset look on his face like a pouting child, Ertegun clicked his teeth.  
  
" This isn't the time or place. I'll tell you later."  
They both left the restroom and apologized to the men waiting outside.  
  
Roddy couldn't get those words out of his head. His mind was spinning, twisting, spazzing out of control.  
  
 _He said that I was important to him... Something about that seems wrong and just about right in the strangest way. If I'm so important to him, why did he upset me and ignore me like that? It seems off. I mean it's true. I am a good employee to him after all. Probably the most loyal one at that. But we have more than just a professional relationship. The way he said it, though. It felt strange. He made an emphasis on how important **I** was to him. The part that really feels wrong is how for a split second, I was feeling overjoyed, gratified, exhilarated even that he would say something like that about me, whether it be platonic or not. I liked it a little too much. That's not okay. If that were the case, then I... Actually would have feelings for him, wouldn't I? He's just a friend. Really. Just a friend. But we don't act like friends all that much. I'm sexually attracted to him. He flirts with me constantly. He makes my heart act up when we're together and he's taken over my mind. I can't get him out of my head. He drives me mad. I want to be with him all the time. I want to jump into his arms. I want him to accept me, want me a much as I want him. I want to have sex with him, but I also want to stay by his side after sex. I just want to be by his side. I want... What do I even want? I've been clear on not wanting to date him. I don't want to date him, definitely not. But why not? The only reason I've been telling myself I shouldn't is because he's got the habit of throwing aside every person he sleeps with. Spencer said I shouldn't think like that. He's too optimistic. But what if he's not? He barely knows Ertegun, but seems more in tune with what Ertegun is like than me. I'm barely figuring him out and I've been by his side for years. Am I even allowed to judge Ertegun before he's done any harm to me based on his past? I just assume he'll throw me away, but I know more than anyone else that he acts different when he's alone with me. He acts like the god of music when he's in public, but with me, he's just a man who's trying to pull himself together, trying his hardest to do what he does best. When he's with me, he's genuine, so human, and it gives me less of a right to think he'd mistreat me when he's been so kind to me all this time, when he's been so raw, unclad and defenseless before me. Maybe I do like him more than I want to admit it. But no matter how much I can reason a good outcome with him, there's always something in the back of my mind telling me it's going to go wrong.  
_  
  
Ertegun had to complete a collaborative remix track with the DJ replacing him for the night to make up for being a no show. It was brief and he headed straight to his car after greeting everyone goodbye as a formality.  
  
Roddy followed after him to his car and stopped him right in front of it.  
  
" Ertegun, we need to continue that talk."  
" Doesn't look good for me to be in the driver's seat like this... How about you sit there? Even self driving cars need a capable driver in the front seat for insurance."  
" Right... The cast... Hey, all these years I've known you and I can't remember whether you're left or right handed."  
" Of course you wouldn't. I'm actually ambidextrous. Most people would assume I'm right handed. Though, you've probably seen me use my left hand enough not to assume that."  
" That explains it... But can we continue what we were talking about in the bathroom back there?."  
" It's going to be a hassle, but at least my right hand is fine. I eat with this hand, you know. So at least I can feed myself. Speaking of, do you want to eat out with me?"  
" D-don't avoid the subject."  
" I'm not. we'll talk in the car, but we'll continue talking more if you want to go out and eat with me. Do you?"  
" Fine..."  
" Good. By the way, it's a right hand drive. So can you get into the driver's seat? I'll be putting it on autopilot, though."  
  
They both got into the car and Ertegun gave it this one command: " Destination: Favourite Restaurant."  
As the car started zooming off to the destination, Roddy awkwardly tried asking his question again.  
" Ertegun. _Why_ did you leave?"  
" There's no actual reason, it was just a reaction. Just me being immature. I'm really ashamed of what I did."  
" What for?"  
" My arm... It's not actually broken. It's a cover up."  
" A cover up? For what?"  
" My two weeks missing. My falling back into old habits."  
" What did you do?"  
" Drugs. Lots of them. There's track marks all over this arm."  
  
Roddy's heart stopped for a few seconds.  
  
This was startling information, a total bomb drop that terrified and chilled him. The atmosphere around them just got very dark all of a sudden.   
  
Of course, he had considered the possibility of Ertegun having a past with drugs, like many big celebrities do, but the guy seemed clean for a while and done with that kind of thing.  
  
" I never used to shoot. I liked wearing t-shirts too much to let that stuff show. I only took it in ways that wouldn't physically scar me. But I just wasn't myself lately. Ever since that incident..."  
" Incident?"  
" I was... Fragile."  
" That's a weird way to describe someone as confident as yourself."  
" Except... I wouldn't use that word to describe me anymore. I've always had this very small sense of self doubt and I muffled it by telling myself out loud how great I am. Some days, I can't seem to believe myself. So I needed an entourage to tell it to me. The entourage always felt a little artificial. That's why I needed someone more... grounded, like you to boost my ego before a show..."  
" Someone like me?"  
" Someone who felt real. Someone who didn't wear a mask just because I pay them to hang around me or just because they want me to give them other things in return. Roddy... Before, I could go out to a show with a little bit of self doubt. When I went to Mars Brightest, I wanted to see you before the show, but I noticed you enter the staff area... I realized you have a life that doesn't involve me and that I shouldn't expect to be the center of your attention all the time."  
" You saw me that day?"  
" I'm glad I didn't tell you. I would have seemed ridiculous if I had called you over. The show wasn't about me anyways. But look, remember two years ago at Cydonia? I really needed you there with me to tell me if you thought I looked good. And you did."  
" You were nominated one of the sexiest men on Mars for multiple magazines on multiple years. Is it really that hard for you to believe it?"  
" Yes." He replied bluntly.  
  
" I needed you to reassure me and you don't know how much it meant to me, but it meant a lot. But not as much as it did last year."  
" Last year..."  
" After all my so-called friends left me high and dry, abandoned and alone, I just expected you to do the same, secretly hoping you wouldn't. I didn't expect you to come over to my house that day. I thought you'd have assumed I didn't want to meet up with you that day. You were professional enough to come check on me, but I never expected you, or anyone for that matter, to care about my well-being, but you did, and it made me realize that you never asked me to do you a favour to manipulate me for your personal gratification. Whatever you've asked of me were genuinely friendly favours. And when I was in _my_ time of need, you pulled through more than enough. At Cydonia last year, you still said those same things to me with the most earnest and sincere look on your face. You told me what I needed to hear just to get me through the day, just to get me through the next few minutes, even. And that time, I didn't even have the money to pay you to do it. You did all of that for me of your own free will, on your own time and never even accepted a dime from me for helping me. You helped me get my act together. You convinced a girl who disliked me, who I did wrong to and offended greatly to help you help me. You tracked down the one responsible for my troubles. You went above and beyond and asked for nothing in return..."  
" That's just the kind of thing I'd do for someone I care about. I'd do that for any of my friends." Ertegun shook his head at that statement that attempted to push this all a step back.  
  
" Cutting to the chase... All these things you do... Every day I work with you makes it harder to ignore how attractive you are." This time, Roddy felt his heart thumping and stomping so heavily, he thought he was having a stroke.  
  
" I really like being with you, I enjoy your company more than any other person. I didn't want it to come to this... And I didn't want you to be burdened by this."  
  
" By the fact that you like spending time with me?"  
  
" By the fact that I'm in love with you, Roddy."  
  
  
  
He said it.  
He actually said it.   
It's astoundingly surreal.   
This doesn't _feel_ real.   
This is unbelievable.   
  
Roddy sat there, ready to wake up in his bed any minute, but there was a sinking feeling in his heart telling him that this wasn't a dream.  
  
" Roddy... You're not saying anything... Is it that bad? I only said it because you wanted to know why I left. And the reason is that I was upset to see you with some other man after I've fooled myself into thinking you might have felt the same way..."  
" Wh-what the?! Why...?!" Roddy let a random reaction blurt out.  
  
 _What did I do? Why does he think I feel the same? How did I ever lead him on into thinking that?!  
_  
So many questions filled his mind and with each one, he felt the rumbling of earthquakes in his heart, smiting him with each heartbeat.  
  
" We could just pretend I never said anything. We can go back to having a solely professional relationship. To be honest, I'd rather not hire someone else since you set the bar so high."  
" N-no... I... Ertegun..." Only now did Roddy notice his hands were shaking. Only now did he realize that there was no way to deny what the ache in his heart meant. Only now, as Roddy inched his trembling fingers towards Ertegun's right hand, as he struggled to grasp that hand next to his, could he finally say:  
" I... Don't want that anymore. There's no turning back. I... Can't. I just can't do that. It's never going to be the same between us."  
" You need to be clearer about that, Roddy. Are you severing ties with me? Or are you saying you want the same thing as I do?"  
" I don't know anymore. Everything hurts. When I'm with you, it hurts. When I think of being with you, it hurts, because one day, you'll get tired of me and leave me. I don't know what to do anymore..."  
" Roddy." He interrupted intently, intertwining his fingers with Roddy's and holding his hand tightly and firmly, steadying his trembling fingers.  
  
" Tell me. Do you feel the same way I do or not?"  
  
" I love you!" Roddy blurted it out, panting, feeling heart palpitations as he tried to process what he had just said.  
  
" I do for you what I'd normally do for any friend, but for you, I'd actually drop everything I'm doing in a heartbeat! I love the way you hold me by the shoulder casually out of habit. It feels natural and it's not like you're actually trying to seduce me even if it has an effect on me. I love the way you act all arrogant in front of people but _only show me_ the side of you that has any humility. I love how you act differently with me when we're alone, like you're not a celebrity anymore, like you've shed off your mask. I love the way you smile at me with so much more sincerity than you do to others. I even love the way you smell and the way you say my name. Ertegun, I... Can't tell you enough just how much I..."  
  
Roddy abandoned all self control. He caught hold of Ertegun's necktie and pulled him towards himself, kissing him tenderly.   
  
This kiss was different.  
  
This time, Ertegun had a fresh breath, the warmth coming from him came from his lips and spread throughout Roddy's body. It was a kiss that felt like magic, as ridiculous as it sounded, it was a pure expression of love between them and soothed the pain in Roddy's heart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, Lucien Dodge. I hope you never have to read this.


	6. On Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of a new relationship, along with all the complications that come with it in the chapters to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit note: I realized that this was like EXTREMELY LONG (that's what he said) and I originally wrote chapters 6 &7 together, then divided them in two, but now I'm dividing chapter 6 in three because when I pasted it into a word document, I saw it was like 30 pages. My original intention was for 8 chapters and smut in every chapter, but I'm going to have to divide it up in a smarter way, now. Sorry for the lengthy crap and confusion if you're just here for the smut!

The two men sat down at a table in a small family restaurant. It was a quaint little place in an obscure part of town.  
  
Actually, now that he thought of it, it wasn't too far from Carole's place. Roddy was surprised that such a peculiar little shop would be listed as Ertegun's favourite restaurant on his GPS. A small Japanese noodle shop. They served a variety of Japanese noodle dishes, all homemade. Whether it be ramen, udon or soba, they made it that day from scratch. They also served a small variety of cakes in limited quantities per day.  
  
Roddy had never been there, so he just ordered whatever Ertegun chose for him. Ertegun ordered himself some udon and a ramen for Roddy. They shared a slice of cake at the end of the meal and tipped the server generously. They walked back to the car holding hands.  
  
" They're not used to me bringing a date there. I always go to that place alone."  
" A... Date, huh? That's a little unexpected."  
" Yeah. I guess neither of us really expected it to go that way."  
They stopped in front of the car, Ertegun leaned, his back against it, and pulling the shorter man towards him, so that they were pressed against each other, in each other's arms.  
  
" Roddy... There's a reason I haven't been in a relationship in such a long time."  
" Is that so? I always see you with someone else at your arm."  
" Flings, dates, one night stands. Not relationships. I haven't had a girlfriend or boyfriend in over a decade."  
  
There was a pause. _Shit_. Roddy cursed under his breath, ever so silently.  
  
" A decade ago, huh?"  
  
 _When you think about it, he's trying to convey how serious he is, but at the same time, it's drawing attention to the elephant in the room. I really want to avoid thinking about this strange age gap_.  
  
" If we're together, aren't you worried about what people will say about you? Or me?"  
" What will that be?"  
" I was in grade school the last time you seriously dated someone. It... Doesn't look right. People might give us a hard time over this. You're a celebrity. You should be careful about this stuff."  
" That's because nobody knows any context. You're very mature for your age. You practically act like you're thirty. We have this exceptional bond between us and we certainly don't like each other _for_ the age gap."  
" It doesn't matter. What others might assume can hurt you _and_ your career. Teacher/student relationships in university with smaller age gaps get so much crap for it. Imagine someone as famous as you in an employer/employee relationship and how badly that's going to be perceived. You'll be seen as someone who took advantage of me and I don't want that for you."  
" Well, I can't have you quitting on me just because we're in a relationship. You're the most talented programmer I ever met. Letting go of an employee like you would be counterproductive and plain stupid. Then, of course, we have to be dating because... Well, this, what we have right here, _is_ mutual."  
" Is a relationship really a good idea at all? It seems like there's no way for us to..." He was interrupted by a brief kiss.  
  
" Then how about this: let's keep this relationship private. A secret between us. You're my secret boyfriend now."  
" Boyfriend, huh?"  
Roddy looked away, blood rising to his cheeks.  
  
" You're adorable when you blush... No, that's not it. You _always_ are." Ertegun pinned the hair covering Roddy's face behind his ear and looked into his amber eyes. It was a little strange to Roddy to hear this man compliment someone other than himself.  
  
" Ertegun. What will you do if anyone finds out about us?"  
" I'll protect you, of course." He kissed him on the forehead and held him closer for just a second before entering the car. It immediately started taking them towards Ertegun's home. They held hands and leaned against each other, shoulder to shoulder in the car driving on autopilot until they arrived at their destination.   
  
  
  
Once in the house, Roddy was led straight to the bedroom. He had seen it but never actually touched the bed.  
  
" From now on, when you're here, you'll be sleeping in this bed, with me." He said it in such a matter of fact manner.   
" I'll miss the guest room... But I'll like being by your side a lot more."  
Seeing the bed, knowing they were going to sleep in it together, Roddy had no idea what to expect.  
  
" So, tell me..." Ertegun inquired as he sat down and allowed an AI to remove his cast.  
" Last night, what happened between us in your apartment?"  
" Third base." Roddy replied softly, but hurriedly, trying to get the question out of the way.  
" I wish I could remember seeing you all over my..."  
" Actually... That's not what happened."  
" Then what did?"  
" It _was_ third base... But it was the other way around." Roddy admitted it quite hesitantly as the cast came off of Ertegun's left arm.  
  
" Ah, I see. Well, I hope you liked it."  
" I don't like that you don't remember. I've never given or received one before, so..."  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy... Relax. I'll give you another one eventually. But, for now... We'll take things slow, is that alright with you?"  
" Y-yeah, but we're not exactly doing nothing, are we?"  
" We're taking it slow, not joining a monastery." Ertegun said as he pulled Roddy to bed, stroking his cheek with his left hand.   
  
As the younger man sat beside him, he looked down his boyfriend's arm to see the markings on it. He sighed and placed a hand on Ertegun's, blaming himself for the harm this man did to his body. He was really out of it that night and it tore his heart that he was the cause.  
  
" I'm sorry. Those are my fault."  
" It's alright. Now I can figure out what tattoo to get."  
" I... Ertegun... You hurt yourself because of me."  
" I'm _alive_ because of you, Roddy."  
" You could have died because of me in the past two weeks!"  
" Roddy, no..."  
" This is because I fooled around with Spencer."  
" Hey..." Ertegun's tone of voice changed from a hopeless romantic to a jealous boyfriend.  
  
" About Spencer... He wasn't your first, was he?"  
" Why would you be jealous of Spencer? I'm yours now, aren't I?"  
" I just... You know. I saw you two... You got drunk with him and left work early to go home with him, so of course I'd be... Really jealous. Especially when I've been abstaining myself ever since... Cydonia, or rather, you know..."  
" That long?"  
" I was wondering how long I could go without sex. I told myself if I'd ever do it again, I can't just, you know, do the usual. So I wanted my next time to be with you."   
  
Roddy felt a shot of warmth through his heart spread throughout his body. It was ridiculous to think, but somehow the very idea that the womanizing, sexual fiend that was Ertegun went on a streak of abstinence for _his_ sake? While flattered, Roddy wanted to act cool and play it off.  
  
" Either way. Doesn't matter whether or not Spencer was my first. I'd probably be your one thousandth, right?"  
" Ouch. Hahah... How loose do you think I am? Look, I'm sorry I didn't realize you were _the one_ sooner."  
" Oh, and... Spencer wasn't my first... Just so you know... You didn't really miss out on anything."  
" So long as you're my last, nothing else matters, Roddy..."  
  
He leaned in and kissed Roddy, gently bringing a line of kisses up to his ear, then blew softly into it, making him squirm and shiver. He pulled off Roddy's jacket, then his shirt and looked at his bare chest.  
  
" You have markings..."  
" Don't get jealous. You're the one who put those there."  
" I'm jealous anyways. It's like a different man took over my body just to mark you."  
" A different man, huh? You were pretty different, but it was definitely, definitely you." Roddy pulled off Ertegun's jacket and loosened his necktie to undo a couple buttons.  
  
" Not taking it off?"  
" It's a good look." He said, not wanting to admit that a man with messy formal wear turned him on all the more. However, he wanted to go further, so he had to undo Ertegun's belt and buckle, pulling off his yellow trousers in the process. He brushed his hand over the thick bulge before carefully pulling it out.  
  
" Whoa... It's huge... And it's not even hard..."  
" What do you want to do... ngh!" He was interrupted by Roddy's grip, jerking him off. He was amazed by the size of his lover's flacid size and wondered how big it would be erect.   
  
As of this moment, his thumb could just barely reach his other fingers around the circumference when he stroked to the base. When he pulled all the way to the tip once more, he felt the cock harden slightly, rubbing the man's urethra in circular motions with the tip of his index, dampening his finger in ooze. He started playing with the tip with that one hand and stroked the shaft with his other. He couldn't stop staring at Ertegun's member with desire. This wasn't the first time he'd ever actually seen it, but the other times, he only caught a short glimpse as he walked in on him.  
  
" Can this... Ah..."  
" What is it, Roddy?"  
The smaller man blushed as he continued jerking him off, making him grow harder and harder as the gap between his thumb and the rest of his fingers grew, revealing the true width of his erection. Annoyed by the way Roddy cut himself off, Ertegun trailed his tongue down his neck and placed a bite mark on him.  
" Tell me what you're thinking." He whispered in what was almost like a soft growl in his boyfriend's left ear.  
" I was thinking... How could this ever fit inside me?"  
" Impatient, aren't you?" Ertegun murmured in an ardent chuckle.  
  
" I told you, we're going to do this slow, Roddy. Don't worry about it, we won't do that tonight. However... I'm going to make sure you're ready for me." With one kiss to his tragus, Roddy's grip released as Ertegun's lips sent shivers down his ear and his neck.  
  
" I want you to thoroughly enjoy yourself." He whispered right into Roddy's ear.  
" But I want to make you feel good, too."  
" There are other ways to do that. I don't want to rush you." He took the smaller man in his embrace, but pinned him down and pulled his jeans and underwear off, revealing Roddy's hard-on.  
  
" That's a pretty big dick for such a small guy." He said, grabbing hold of the long shaft.  
" You said something similar last night right before you swallowed it up." Roddy didn't even realize he had said that and to Ertegun's amusement, he blushed when he did.  
  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy... Tell me now, how do you like to pleasure yourself?"  
Roddy saw a hungry and lustful glimmer in the emeralds this man had for irises and froze up.  
" Wh-what kind of question is that? I just... Jerk off, you know." He closed his eyes, embarassed at the truth.  
  
" I want to know more about you. Tell me..." He paused, giving Roddy another kiss, this time on his other ear.  
  
" Tell me... how you do it to yourself. How do you like to stroke your cock?" Ertegun's hand trailed from Roddy's chest to his crotch, taking hold of his erection.  
  
" What position do you get yourself in to do it?" Ertegun started stroking Roddy gently, teasingly, tightening his grip halfway up, only intensifying his strokes at the tip.  
  
" What other places do you touch?" He softly growled into his ear, as he trailed his tongue down his neck, down his chest, tracing a circle onto Roddy's nipple before sucking onto it gently, making him slip a few restrained gasps.  
  
" How loudly do you moan when you're all alone? What goes on in that head of yours when you're completely aroused?" With his teeth, he carefully tugs at the nipple, making Roddy squirm and gasp, slightly arching his back.  
  
" You... Ertegun... Mmghn..." He moaned, in a way that almost made him sound like a woman, causing Ertegun to hold him tighter without realizing it, and so he started tugging at him harder.  
  
" I like to jerk off... In my office... I like to hold it as hard as I can. I like to do it fast... But I also like it hard and slow, like I'm squeezing out my cum. I usually stroke it with one hand and stimulate the tip with the other hand. If I'm not doing that, I like to touch my nipples a bit... And if I want it all, I'll put laundry clips on myself. I like putting my feet up on the armrests of my chair or on my table, so I can open my legs wide and feel exposed."  
  
" Didn't know you were _that_ horny... So... Do you _watch_ anything? What's your visual stimulation?"  
" You... Ahhh..."  
" What is it, Roddy?"  
" I... Google pictures of you... I visualize the times you've shown me what you looked like under those clothes in your pool..."  
Ertegun slipped his hands down to Roddy's cheeks and lifted him so that his hips were against his chest and he would hold back his legs by grabbing himself behind the knees so that the man holding him could see all of him.  
  
He spread Roddy apart and...  
" What the... Roddy..."  
  
 _I felt it... Cum spilling out of me. An embarrassing sight to show this person I like so much.  
_  
" So, you've had another man inside you recently?"  
" Sorry... I did it because I didn't think you and I would ever..." As Roddy made his excuse, he felt Ertegun's finger slip inside him and soon, he was getting thrusted into.  
  
" Ertegun... You're... Touching... It... His cum..."  
" What did he do to you? Did he make you cum, too?" He interrogated, slipping a second finger in, as he started hitting Roddy's prostate.  
  
" He... Did me from behind... Jerked me off..."  
" You love making me jealous, now, don't you?"  
" He told me to scream your name... he let me pretend it was you... I was imagining it was you inside me..."  
" Roddy..."  
" It's no different than when I masturbate. I don't do it on purpose, but... I always end up moaning your name... And by instinct, I scream your name when I cum. I always think of you whenever I have an orgasm." The only response to this was a sultry chuckle and with his other hand, Ertegun started jerking off the red headed beauty he held.  
  
" Roddy... I know..."  
" Huh?"  
" I already know you moan my name when you pleasure yourself..."  
" Hwa?! How did you...?!"  
" Why wouldn't you? It's nice to hear you admit it, though. But I've gotta say..."  
He stroked and thrusted faster and harder, stimulating Roddy's sweet spots ever the more intensely, bringing him close to the edge.  
  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy... I like to moan your name, too when I do it to myself..."  
Just like that, Roddy was over the edge, spilling his seed everywhere.  
  
" Ghaaaah! ERTEG...UuhN!!!! Ahhhn!"  
" Amazing..." In Ertegun's view was his young lover with his legs spread out by none other than himself, spunk plastered across him from head to waist as he panted hard. Semen leaked from his twitching entrance as his legs writhed in pleasure, his cock spurted out a couple of globs of jizz every few seconds, but remained rock hard.  
  
" Ertegun.... Ahhh... Ertegun... F...fuck me... I'm begging you... Please..." Roddy desperately started stroking himself with one hand and with his other, he spread one of his cheeks out to make way for an entrance.  
" Not just yet. Not tonight."  
" Ertegun... Please... Inside me... I want your..."  
Ertegun reached for the end table next to his bed and pulled out a box, then took Roddy's hands off of himself and closed his legs together, clamping onto his cock between his hips, resting his legs on his shoulder.  
  
" You're thick... Your thickness is..."  
" I'll do it like this for now... But I'm not putting it in you if another man's cum is in there."  
 _He pulled something out of the box.... A buttplug? He's putting it inside me..._  
" W-wait...! That's kind of big isn't it? Shouldn't I..."  
" If you want me inside of you... you're going to have to get used to it first. I can't just break you, you know..."  
 _It's true... He's much thicker than the plug. Of course he'd.... Ahh... It's going in... It.. just popped in. The large teardrop shaped part was inside, and I felt the rim of my ass pulsing around the shaft part as the cover on the outer part hit my rim.  
_  
" You like it, right?"  
" I do... It feels nice..."  
Ertegun pressed Roddy's hips harder together, squeezing his cock between them and started moving, thrusting his shaft between those soft, beautiful hips as if they were his insides.  
  
The more he plunged through, the more and more and more Roddy became aware of how big it was.  
  
In comparison, Spencer and the other guy he had a few years ago were pretty big, too as compared to average.   
  
Although Ertegun wasn't astronomically lengthier, he did have a couple inches on Roddy's past partners, but the real concern was the combined lenght and width that could probably hurt him if he just threw himself into intercourse.  
  
" Roddy... Roddy... Roddy... I..."  
" Ertegun... You can get a little rougher if you want."  
" Roddy, I... I..." His thrusts grew faster as Roddy's moans echoed and flooded the room.  
" I'll... Cum... I'll cum from having my ass plugged...! I'll cum from your dick rubbing against me!" He muttered under his heavy breath, and looking at the man above him, who was doing the same.  
" Roddy... I'll cum in a minute... Just a minute! Let's do it together!"  
The smaller man grabbed both their cocks and started jerking them together.  
" E-Ertegun! Ahhhn! Ertegun! I love it! So.... Aaahhhhh...! Good! My body...! My body's on fire!" The gripping and pulling got all the more vigorous as he became more aware of the heat rising in every part of his body.  
  
" Roddy!"   
_  
Splurt_.  
  
It just poured all over Roddy, both their bodies reached the height of pleasure at the same time, coating Roddy in streaks of white again, both their bodies convulsed as they released, both of their bodies felt the firery passion of each other's lust and both of them understood that their bodies were going to reach new heights as their relationship progressed and as they tried to catch up on their breath, they thought the same thing: this is only the beginning and it's going to get a whole lot better the more they go to bed with each other.  
  
" Hahah. Haaah... Roddy, Roddy, Roddy... You're beautiful, even when you're drenched like that l... I'm sorry, just thinking out loud."  
" It's alright. I like to know what you're thinking. As opposed to trying to figure you out."  
  
" I love you, Roddy."  
" I love you, too, Ertegun."  
With that, Ertegun rested in Roddy's arms and sighed.  
  
" I always thought so, but wasn't sure."  
" How did you know? It took me a while to figure out I even wanted you that way. I pretty much just figured it out myself today."  
" Because... I had a hunch. You always kind of clung to me, but only in private... That and I caught you masturbating to me."  
" Huh?! When was that?!"  
" I called you that day, you picked up. You probably didn't mean to, but you moaned. And you moaned my name. You stayed on the phone... Pretended you were sick and you moaned and masturbated while talking to me. Even if I couldn't see, it was clear that you were in the middle of touching yourself. Why else would you have ignored the first calls unless your phone wasn't working?"  
" Y-you knew?!"  
" Of course I did. It was very obvious. It was quite the turn on. So, I pretended to be the concerned friend and rushed over there, hoping to catch you in the middle of an obscene act, leading me into getting into a risqué'd position with you." This made Roddy shy away in embarrassment, looking away.  
  
Ertegun sat up straight and brought Roddy to himself, resting the red-headed twink on his chest.  
  
" Then, earlier tonight... Something in me clicked when you said you loved the way I smell."  
" Is it that I'm weird?"  
" No, it's normal to love the smell of the person you're in love with. However... I couldn't help but notice I only have eleven black merch t-shirts in my closet."  
" Huh?"  
" That night by the pool... When I gave you my shirt, you didn't send it to wash, did you?"  
" R-right. I didn't.."  
" You took it home, didn't you?"  
" Yes, that's right..."  
" What do you do with it?"  
" I... Liked to sniff it while I fapped to pictures of you... And... When the scent wore off, I started wearing it around home and I wore nothing but the shirt on my days off, so that I could get off whenever I wanted to wherever I was in the apartment. I... I'm sorry for stealing it..."  
" All's forgiven. So long as you return the shirt."  
" You're not mad I stole from you?"  
" I'm flattered about the reason you did it. That's why I'll be lending it to you again... Once I've worn it again."  
Roddy felt his face burning up as Ertegun kissed his forehead.  
  
" It's the least I can do for taking your shirt, Roddy."  
" Huh?"  
" Yeah, I blacked out last night. When I woke up, I was holding this rag that smelled like you. Took me some time to realize it was a ripped t-shirt."  
  
 _So... that's why... I thought last night was a dream because I couldn't find it._  
  
" Roddy... When I came to, I really thought I had hurt you. I was scared you'd never want to see me again." His voice trembled, it showed how he tried to mask genuine fear and his anxiousness was transparent.  
  
" It... It's fine. Really. You didn't do anything bad." Roddy said, comforting him by stroking his face gently.  
  
  
" Sometimes, when you sleep over in the guest room, and I don't just mean last time you were there, I hear sounds coming from the room. So I check up on you and hear you talking in your sleep. You dream of me a lot, don't you? Something in your subconscious already knew you had feelings for me."  
" I'm sorry. I didn't realize." Roddy muttered, and in response, Ertegun, in that deep tone of his, chuckled, in a comforting way, as if to communicate the words "it's fine." Without using any words.  
  
" I guess that's why I had these expectations... And I couldn't stand it when I saw you making out with that guy at the fundraiser."  
" Don't worry about Spencer. He's just a friend. He probably doesn't want to do anything like that with me anymore after what happened this morning."  
Roddy took a second to realize what he just let slip his mouth.  
  
" Ah, so you _did_ have sex _with him_."  
  
 _Ertegun is really bothered by this fact. There's nothing we can do to change it. I want to stay friends with Spencer, though because I have a lot of insight to thank him for, but Ertegun has a lot of jealousy issues surrounding him. He was jealous of Spencer before I ever started doing anything sexual with him. Why is that? Ertegun knows he's the one I like, not Spencer goddamn Simmons. Maybe Ertegun's afraid I'll eventually lose interest in him and go for Spencer instead in the same way I fear he'll be sick of me and start sleeping around with random countless people again. Ertegun has that kind of sexual history, but with Spencer, from the moment he entered the mansion... What could be the reason... What does Spencer have that Ertegun doesn't? They both have money, Ertegun's successful in his career and Spencer isn't quite there yet. Spencer is... Missing a lot of what Ertegun has. What could he possibly envy? What is Ertegun missing? Huh... I guess the inexperience that come with... youth. Our age gap is pretty big, so he might think I'd leave him for someone my age who'd be more likely to be at my pace. Think, think, think! What can I say to reassure him?! It usually comes easily, but right now... It's tough to figure out. Come on! Reasons why I couldn't go out with Spencer... Got it_.   
  
" Spencer and I were never anything serious, alright? Someone like Spencer is too busy with school to go out with anyone who wasn't like say, a classmate of his or something. He can just barely make time for his sister, do you really think a student could ever manage a relationship with a working adult like me?"  
" Working adult, huh? Guess that is what you are." Ertegun seemed like his voice was more steady, as he said that in a normal tone. He seemed more reassured that this relationship would work out for the best.  
  
" Roddy, you always know what to say to me. That's part of why I love you so much."  
" What's the other part?"  
" A lot of things."  
" Well, we have all the time in the world for you to tell me those things."  
  
Those words couldn't ring any truer.   
  
Even if Roddy was constantly working multiple programming and engineering jobs and contracts, he'd often work on more than one gig a day, have two free days to himself and work at least once a week with Ertegun. This meant that they could spend time like they used to before or after work and that would be their date, without seeming like they were on a date.   
  
They'd just seem like two people who work together getting their projects done around the clock, two co-workers hanging out around shifts. They would hold hands in car rides, sneak off to locked rooms to make out and flirt out in the open if everyone in their surroundings were out of earshot.   
  
During one of Roddy's days off, he'd go to Ertegun's home, who would sometimes be able to clear his schedule for the evening just for him. They'd watch an anime movie, Roddy would try to show off the cooking skills he seldom uses due to him mostly eating instant noodles at home, but he has acquired a certain amount of skill by trying different kinds and experimenting with many seasonings.  
After a home cooked or ordered in dinner and cuddling while watching a movie, they'd fool around in bed before going to sleep, and in the morning, Ertegun would drive Roddy to one of his many jobs before heading off to a business meeting.  
  
Roddy, while somewhat sexually satisfied, was a little upset that even after over a month in the relationship, they haven't moved on to intercourse quite yet. His boyfriend was still just putting toys inside of him and doing oral sex stuff to him, but the more experienced man was so good at it that it wasn't that big a deal in the heat of the moment, being able to make his young lover become overwhelmed with wave after wave of orgasms each night he stayed over and if Roddy ever brought it up, Ertegun charmed him into forgetting about the subject.  
  
Today, he brought Roddy to his new contract job at some AI music technology firm that rivalled Artience labs.   
" Thanks, Ertegun... But do you think you should be driving me this often? What if rumours start? It wouldn't kill me to take the bus or a cab."  
" It wouldn't, really. This is just an excuse to be with you more."  
" Jeez. Maybe I should save up to buy myself my own scooter or something."  
" Nonsense. I'll buy it for you."  
" No way. I'm not asking you for something like that even if it isn't much money to you."  
" Are you kidding? I was totally going to give you that car you wanted to borrow so badly and that's when we weren't dating."  
" Then why did you hesitate to lend it to me?"  
" Because I thought you were getting it to pick up girls... Those girls. And I was wondering why you'd set up a meeting with a couple of troublemakers you barely knew. But since it was you, I let my doubts slide."  
" You were right to doubt me..."  
" Didn't you tell me a rogue AI destroyed the car?"  
" That's true, but I was still supposed to take care of it."  
" I'm completely over it. I'll even buy you a vehicle of your choice if it would make you more comfortable with people not catching onto us."  
" Actually, I like spending time with you on my rides to work. I think I'll be okay if we keep doing it this way."  
" Sure. Just tell me if you change your mind."  
" Of course. But I won't change my mind. If I ever get a vehicle it's with my own money."  
" With the salary I pay you. How about I just give you a big bonus or a raise?"  
" Don't let this affect our working relationship."  
" Seriously, you can be the highest paid programmer on the planet."  
" I said, stop. I'm not letting you pay me that much just because we're dating, now."  
" Suit yourself. I'm still getting a present for you eventually."  
  
Roddy rolled his eyes with a playful smile and pulled Ertegun by the tie to bring him closer, reeling him in for a kiss. A large hand laid on his cheek and ran its fingers into the red hair, sliding down to a lower part of his head that bordered the nape and pulled Roddy in deeper into the kiss, and for a moment, he indulged, but remembered that he had to get to work. So the kiss was broken by the one who initiated it.  
  
" Roddy... I love you. Take care."  
" Of course."  
" Don't let the new boss charm you into taking a permanent position."  
" Don't worry. He's not _you_ after all."  
  
His only reply was a soft chuckle. Roddy got out of the car as his boyfriend blew one more kiss at him. He smiled and stroked his cheek, to which Ertegun responded by taking his hand and kissing it before letting go. And with that, Roddy gently closed the car door and walked up the white cinderblock path leading up to the large glass building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FUN FACT: Ertegun says in episode 11 that his favourite dish is Udon.


	7. POW!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's about time an antagonist showed up.

At the entrance, he saw Pyotr and Tuesday taking selfies together.  
" Hey, what are you doing here?"  
" Roddy, hi!" Tuesday greeted.  
" Heya! What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in like two months or something!" Pyotr said, cheerfully as he always was.  
  
" No fair, I asked you first."  
" Pyotr was asked to lend his voice as a base for an AI singer. They asked Carole and I to do it, too, but we declined. I'm just here to accompany Pyotr because he invited me."  
" Ah, so you're going to do voice sampling."  
" So, Roddy, why are you here?" Pyotr asked again with even more curiosity in his voice.  
  
" I'm working with you, I guess. I'm on a contract job to come here a couple times to help with this project."  
  
" So you're doing this, too? You're really _fired up_ with a whole bunch of projects nowadays!"   
  
" Huh?"  
  
" She means you've really been super busy with all your projects lately! How many jobs did you have again?"   
  
" Well, it's hard to say. I've got three semi-permanent jobs where I constantly work with the same employer, but only once a week, or less often than that, and a bunch of projects and contracts on the side, some that I've kind of finished, but might get called back for in case of emergency, plus some that I'm just starting like the one today. So... Eight or nine jobs, I think? I'm usually doing about six."  
  
"Remember you're still helping me and Carole with that song this weekend." Tuesday added.  
" That doesn't count. It's volunteer work from your number one fan." Roddy replied with a smile.  
" Wow! A new song? What's it called? What's it called?"  
" Oh yeah, you never came up with a title for it, did you?" Roddy asked.  
" Well, I only just finished writing the rest of the lyrics last night." Tuesday sighed, holding her notebook to her heart.  
  
" Heart's on _FIRE_."  
  
Roddy gulped and felt his heart pause. That was one of _Ertegun's_ catchphrases. Well, the emphasis on one of those words was sort of, anyhow.  
  
" Ahahah... So that's why you said _fired up_ the way you did earlier." Pyotr remarked.  
  
 _Crap. Did she notice? Is she onto me and Ertegun? Is she hinting at it right now? Is she about to interrogate me? What do I do?  
_  
" Hahah... _Actually_ , I said it kind of like Ertegun would."  
" Ertegun? What about that guy?"  
" Well, Pyotr, I was after all, inspired by him to make this song."  
" Inspired by him? How so??? He doesn't seem to have anything in common with you, so how could you fit something inspired by someone like him into your style?" Roddy speedily bombarded her with a bunch of questions in a panicky manner, but Tuesday processed it all and tried to think of an answer.  
  
" Well, you see, you know how Angela is super different from how she's portrayed in the media? I had read this gossip article about Ertegun and I feel like there's something to him, too, y'know. After that incident last year and after he came over to our place... He's a lot different than how he was before. Even the media is catching up that there's more layers to him than he's showing. Is it true he's avoiding interviews?"  
" Yeah. He was pretty upset about how he was being slandered when he went broke. He doesn't exactly trust the media anymore."  
" Well, his image is changing and he's being seen as a more reserved and cool type. There's speculation that he's got a secret relationship."  
" WHAT?!" Roddy yelled, in utter and completely baffled shock.  
  
" Would you say that's not correct? What do you think, Roddy?"  
" I don't know where those rumours are coming from. What made anyone think that?"  
  
" Well, you see, Ertegun's one of those playboy types. That's what his public image always has been. But the articles Tuesday mentioned imply that they followed Ertegun for months and saw him with no woman since the beginning of last October. They're deducing that he's in a committed relationship because he hasn't been seen with a one night stand in almost half a year."  
" But if they followed him, wouldn't they have seen the mystery person he's allegedly dating?" Roddy asked, making a little too much sense for his own good. While full of common sense, this line of reasoning could trace him as the mystery lover in question.  
" It's strange..." Tuesday said, rubbing her chin uncharacteristically.  
  
" Well, anyhow, I wrote a song about how when you're in love, your heart's on fire, and when your heart is burning so brightly with that love, there's no way to contain it, no way to keep it secret, no way to keep it under wraps, for tarps will smolder beneath the blissful flames sparked by it... And when your love burns so brightly, the whole wide world will see it."  
  
" Wow, Tuesday! You wrote that because of some article on Ertegun?! Now it doesn't matter if the story is true or not now that you made something so great out of it! _Pow_!" With all his praise, Pyotr raised a hand to Tuesday, gesturing for a high five that she immediately responded to by lightly tapping his palm with hers.  
  
Roddy was freaking out a bit on the inside, because Tuesday, who was becoming more and more popular as an artist, just literally wrote a song about Ertegun's secret relationship, completely unaware that he, her friend, was the subject of her song.  
" So, Pyotr, ready to go in?"  
" Right! We got a job to do!"  
  
As they entered the building, they were checked in by security, then led to the recording studio where Pyotr had to record his voice. One other programmer was present besides Roddy.  
" Roddy, I'm Aaron. Nice to meet you."  
" Have we met before?"  
" No. I've just heard of you. You have quite a lot of connections. You're more of a software engineer, but I'm more of a hardware guy myself."  
" I've handled a fair share of hardware. You'd be surprised by how much I can accomplish with AI." Roddy replied, eager to flex for that hint of underestimation in Aaron's voice.  
  
" By the way, these are my friends. Pyotr is our artist for the week, and Tuesday is..."  
" ... From Carole and Tuesday. I'm aware. I love her work."  
" Oh, you do?"  
Aaron went up to the two and gave them his most charming smile, greeting them both kindly, with a handshake, first Pyotr, then Tuesday, but holding onto her hand a little too long for comfort.  
  
" I didn't expect you here, seeing as I heard you declined the project."  
" I'm just here to accompany Pyotr."  
" Ah, I didn't realize you were _with_ him." What Aaron's assumption was made clear by the emphasis he made, which was clearly the cause of Tuesday's face flushing into a deep rose colour as Aaron slowly slipped his hand away.  
  
" N-no! It's not like that at all! We're good friends is all!"  
" So, then, would you be available to..."  
" Tuesday and I are working on her new song all week." Roddy interrupted.  
" I see, well then, can I..."  
" We should get to work. Let's go into the recording room, Aaron. There's some stuff we need to set up before Pyotr starts."  
  
 _Tuesday was obviously being hit on by Aaron. He doesn't give off a very good vibe. I've always cared a lot for Tuesday, so I want to protect her. She hasn't had the best luck in romance from what Carole tells me, so she really needs a little extra protection when it comes to that kind of stuff. It seems Tuesday caught on to what I was thinking and what I was trying to do. When I looked at my phone I saw she had sent me a text.  
_  
_Thanks. I was feeling a bit uncomfortable with the way he was looking at me up and down. If you're okay with it, can you pretend we're dating when you come back? Or even lie to him that we are, but only if you're okay with it.  
\- Tuesday _  
  
_Jeez. I didn't notice him doing that exactly. I was more focused on that weird handshake. Aaron seems like a sneaky guy. I'll go along with it. It feels a little weird to do this since I kind of had a small crush on Tuesday a while back, but she's friend zoned me enough times and we're great friends. She's still pretty important to me, so I have to help her out. After today she shouldn't come back here and then I'll never see Aaron again after my contract. It doesn't matter if I lie.  
  
_ " Tuesday's pretty cute, isn't she? Much cuter in real life than in those pictures." Aaron commented as they entered the equipment closet.  
  
" Yeah she is."  
" So, are you interested in her?"  
" What makes you say that?"  
" You were totally blocking me earlier."  
 _Of course Aaron would notice. He's not an idiot.  
_  
" I... Have been secretly dating her for a while now. Nobody knows except Carole and their manager."  
" Ah. Well, that explains a lot. Sorry for making a move on your girlfriend in front of you." It seemed strangely apologetic, as if he didn't quite say it like he meant it.  
  
" Secret relationship, huh? That's the buzz with a lot of celebrities nowadays. It's like a trend."  
" A trend? What are you talking about?"  
" You know, there's plenty of celebrities rumoured to be in secret love affairs. Crystal, Ezekiel, DJ Ertegun and even that politician who wanted to get rid of all the immigrants before dropping out of the presidential campaign. Oh, right, that was Tuesday's mother. You know, for as important as her family is, she flies pretty low below the radar being completely scandal free all still while maintaining all that fame."  
" Well, just so you know, Tuesday Simmons is a complete angel. I have no idea what could possibly start a bad rumour about her. Our relationship is perfectly innocent."  
" Is she, though? After what happened to Angela at the Grammys, it shows that no sweet innocent looking girl is immune to that kind of darkness."  
" Angela... Hey, wasn't there an article about you and her?"  
" Ah, so you've caught me. Yes, I did go on a few dates with her. Didn't work out. Some crazy stalker put me in the hospital for it."  
" That's... Scary."  
" I still need to do physical rehabilitation and therapy. I have an appointment for it every morning. You better watch out, you don't know what kinds of people are out there, gunning for your partner."  
" If it's so frightening, why did you hit on her?"  
" She's not as big a name as Angela. I figure it would be safer."  
" Tuesday was injured pretty badly by a stalker well before her debut hit song. I don't think a less famous name makes it any more safe."  
" Then why do _you_ do it?"  
" Because when you love someone... You just do. And you want to spend time with them as if the world around you disappeared and stopped existing just for the time you're together." Roddy stopped himself from talking just then, because he was saying way too much. And besides, he wasn't even talking about Tuesday anymore.  
  
" Look, you obviously don't feel that way about her, and you should probably stop chasing after celebrities, you know. They're actual people with real feelings." Roddy was just about done with this awful conversation, he was annoyed but also fearful of letting any unnecessary information slip to this guy. He seemed like trouble.  
  
" So, how did you meet Tuesday?"  
" The viral video of her and Carole in the immigrant's memorial hall is a video on my channel. I recorded and posted it."  
" You knew the girls would do that?"  
"No. That's the first time I saw them. It was completely unexpected."  
" Did you talk to her after?"  
" I was never going to see her again, but some guy I know called me asking me to track them down for him so he can be their manager. It worked out for the best I suppose."  
" So you tracked them down after recording them without their consent. A little creepy isn't it?"  
 _Damn. I messed up. He can start telling people that Tuesday is dating a creepy stalker. This is bad. I should stop talking to him, but...  
_  
" Look, we're all friends now..."  
" I thought you were dating her?"  
" I... I-I am! But, I mean I'm friends with... Well I became friends with the two of them and they befriended the manager I introduced them to and I started dating Tuesday later on."  
" So, what was your first date like?"  
  
 _Is this guy seriously quizzing me?! Hold on, maybe he doesn't believe I'm dating her now. Think fast. Think fast._   
  
" She and I... Went out Christmas shopping together."  
" How cute. Got any pictures?"  
 _Yup. Definitely testing me.  
_  
" Ah... Tuesday isn't really the selfie type of girl."  
" A pretty girl who dresses like that? It's a little strange for her not to be into selfies."  
" Well, Tuesday never really takes selfies. And when she does, she doesn't make herself the center of the photo nor is it the kind of thing she shares publicly. I'm the same about that subject. She usually gets roped into other people's selfies."  
" So, no memories of your first date?"  
" Well..." Something clicked in Roddy's mind.  
  
He logged on to insta, and shoved his phone into Aaron's face. It was Carole and Tuesday's account with a Christmas photo.  
  
" Thanks, Roddy for the wonderful Christmas tree."  
" I got her that on our date. We spent a nice Christmas Eve together."  
For the meantime, it seemed as if Aaron was convinced, but it seemed like he was trying to make moves on Tuesday the rest of the time. When they called it a day, Roddy had to walk Tuesday out with an arm around her, keeping her close and away from Aaron.  
  
That evening, Spencer was in town and he was treating her along with Carole and Roddy to dinner.  
They told Spencer everything about the creepy new co-worker Roddy had to work with.  
  
" Awful. I wish I were there. I'm sorry you had to go through that trouble for my sister, Roddy."  
" Thing is, I have to go back and work with this guy."  
" Tuesday had a knack for attracting weirdos." Carole whispered under her breath.  
  
" If you feel you're in any danger, text me and I'll get over here in a heartbeat." Spencer affirmed, and it didn't seem like he was just saying it. He was dead serious.  
  
" You don't need to do that for me."  
" Then I will! Spencer's always far away but I'm just a sprint away." Carole exclaimed.  
" Spencer, I swear, I'll do everything I can to protect her!"  
" C-Carole! I'm not that helpless!"  
" Yes, you are!"  
  
 _And thus, the girls bickered, talked to us about their new songs and Spencer told us about how school was going. The girls only lived a block away, so they walked home, while Spencer gave me a ride home in his new car._  
  
" So?"  
" What?" Roddy replied, as Spencer had a smug look on his face.  
" You and Ertegun. It worked out for the best, right?"  
" You... Were right."  
" I'm happy for you."  
" Spencer... I'm scared."  
" What? Don't tell me you think he'll abandon you for a woman."  
" There's rumours about him dating someone. He's being stalked. They know he hasn't had a one night stand since October."  
" Look, if these rumours started well before you started dating, chances are, it's just nonsense with no proof to engage people in gossip. He wasn't seeing women months before you were dating and he hasn't ever since. It makes no difference. If they haven't caught on by now, then, they can't see through your relationship."  
" I guess that's true. Plus, we pretty much follow the same schedule we used to, except we see each other one additional day a week."  
" It might not be enough to figure it out."  
" Except I sleep over..."  
" That might give it away."  
" And he drives me to work."  
" That's even worse."  
  
As Spencer pulled up in front of Roddy's building and Roddy reached for the door, Spencer pulled him back in.  
  
" Hold on."  
" What is it?"  
" This Aaron guy... Besides being creepy around my sister and Angela... And even with you, I can't help but worry. Be extra careful. He seems like bad news."  
Roddy's phone started ringing. It was Gus calling. Roddy gestured to Spencer to wait a minute so he could take the call.  
  
" Hey Gus. What's up?"  
" So, how're we going to handle this?"  
" Sorry, a lot of things are going on right now, what are you talking about?" Roddy asked, confused and perplexed.  
  
" This? The situation?"  
" What situation?" He asked, this time, annoyed.  
" The whole planet thinks you're dating Tuesday."  
" What?!"  
" See for yourself. Call me back in the morning so we can discuss this."  
  
Roddy looked at a link Gus sent him. There was an article written about it.   
  
The headline was _Tuesday's Secret Boyfriend_ , and included a picture that Carole took of Roddy and Tuesday at Christmas time in front of the tree along with a security camera picture of Roddy with his arm around Tuesday. It was horrifyingly and painfully obvious that Aaron gave a bunch of information about what was written.   
  
Furthermore, there's some over-exaggerated lies thrown in, such as how serious the relationship was, how it was love at first sight, that Roddy single handedly caught the person who injured her during the Mars' Brightest competition, that he wanted to marry Tuesday as soon as she was of legal age, etc, etc.  
  
" This is... Terrible... Roddy, are you..."  
" That... JERK! Why would he do this?! Of course, it's because I protected Tuesday from him!"  
" Hold on... if this is everywhere... won't Ertegun see this?" Those words made Roddy's heart drop.   
  
Here he had been telling Ertegun not to leave him for a woman, but now it looked as if Roddy had been cheating with a girl this entire time.  
  
 _I'll look like a total hypocrite_.  
  
" I can't let him see this without me explaining myself."  
  
He tried calling, but the call was rejected.  
  
 _In a business meeting, I'll call you back later <3  
\- Ertegun  
_  
Of course, he was definitely telling the truth and not rejecting the call because he was upset about hearing the news.   
  
So Roddy decided to text him about what happened.  
  
 _I pissed off a guy who was hitting on Tuesday and she asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend. Please don't be mad, but he decided to tell the media about it.  
_  
There. That's the truth. Hopefully, all would be good in the morning.  
  
But things just don't work out that way. It just gets worse.  
  
  
Of course, Ertegun was extremely unhappy about the situation, but as much as he hated it, he was still understanding of it. Gus was able to set up an interview with the Allen show in a few days' time and dragged both Roddy and Tuesday to an interview to clear things up and completely get rid of this situation, even if it meant throwing Roddy's new co-worker under the bus, because after all, he was the cause of this problem. Spencer was there with them, giving them advice on how to handle the interviewer.  
  
" Remember, keep your responses short, firm and to the point. Keep it as close to a simple yes or no as you can without too many detail, answer only the question, don't try to justify your answer with too much information and stick to the truth, got it?"  
The two nodded and went out on stage.   
  
" But try not to sound like robots!" Gus added, saying it loudly enough to reach them at a distance.  
This was the Allen show, Tuesday had been there before, with Carole, but it didn't make her any more confident about being there again. In fact, it made her very uncomfortable because of the slip of the tongue she had done last time.  
  
" Roddy and Tuesday, welcome. Please, take a cup of tea."  
An AI rolled in to serve the two a cup of Royal milk tea with a very nice scent, so immediately, they took the offer and took a sip to warm up their throats.  
  
" So, before we get to the main event, I'd like to get the word out about how you two met. It's said that Roddy here is the one who filmed that viral video of Carole and Tuesday."  
" Yes. That's true."  
 _Yeah. I'm not going to explain how I had to track them down using facial recognition. Just leave that part out.  
_  
" So, Roddy, what were you doing there in the first place?"  
" I was working."  
  
" And what is it that a boy as young as you does for a living? It's said that the hall was booked by DJ Ertegun at the time of the guerilla performance."  
" I'm a freelance AI programmer and systems engineer. I do various jobs and contract work for many people, including being a sound technician for Ertegun, among other things."  
" So, is it true that you fell in love with Tuesday at first sight?"  
" Well, I was amazed by her, but anyone would be, right? She's great at what she does. It doesn't mean I fell in love with her. That's exaggerated."  
 _Okay, I think I'm doing well so far. The questions have been easy.  
_  
" So, Tuesday, are you not dating this young man?"  
" N-no. We're just really good friends, is all! Speaking of, he's such a good friend that he pretended to be my boyfriend when a creepy guy was hitting on me! That's where all the rumours came from, if you're wondering. I only appeared here to clear that up!"  
" And what of rumours that you went on a date for Christmas Eve?"  
" That wasn't a date! We were Christmas shopping. I bought a gift for Carole and he bought a gift for her and I. Then we hung out at mine and Carole's place with a few others. We weren't alone. It was a friend's gathering, really." Her trembling voice slowly got steadier as she got the hang of this.  
  
" I showed that guy she mentioned pictures from that time. That's probably where the rumour stems from." Roddy added.  
" Wow! You really are just friends. It kind of throws off my next question." Allen had this very disappointed tone when you looked past his TV grin.  
  
" What question?"  
And asking that was a mistake he would regret for a long time.  
  
" You've worked with DJ Ertegun long term, for years now. There's footage from his fundraiser party a while back that came to light, showing you getting intimate with someone who _wasn't_ Tuesday Simmons."  
  
 _No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No! NO!  
_  
They did it.   
There it was, up on the screen.   
Security footage of Roddy forcing a kiss onto Spencer during Carole and Tuesday's performance.  
  
" The man in the video was identified as Tuesday's brother, former political figure, Spencer Simmons."  
" M-my brother and Roddy already explained that. They said that was just a drunken accident." Tuesday hurriedly explained.  
  
 _Crap. How did they get that footage? Did Aaron do this, too? Wait, if he could do this....  
_  
" It's a good thing you're not dating, because there is more footage like this!" Allen nearly sounded like a gameshow host as he showed footage of Roddy and Spencer in front of a cab, looking a lot more sober, and this time, Spencer seemed to be the one to have initiated the kiss. The video loop of the two making out replayed again and again.  
  
" Rumours were that you were fooling around with both siblings at the same time!"  
" I've never heard of a rumour like that. Did it really just appear out of thin air in a couple days?"  
  
" It's a good thing you weren't really dating Tuesday, or her fans would be hunting you down!"  
" What the... I'd never hurt Tuesday like that."  
  
" And what of Spencer Simmons?"  
" What of him? He's a good friend that I have a lot to thank for. I wouldn't hurt him either."  
  
" It seems like you two really hit it off that night."  
" It wasn't like that, we barely talked that night."  
  
" Have you been dating _him_ since then?"  
" No."  
  
 _Jeez. Is this guy just repeating himself? Why does he expect a different response each time? Is this how interviewers pressure people?  
_  
" But you've been _seeing_ him since then?"  
" Yes, but as a friend. Nothing's going on between Spencer and I either. That was a while ago and it didn't mean anything."  
  
 _Annoying._  
  
" And what of that passionate kiss between you two?"  
" I was drunk, who knows, maybe he was, too. I'm not in any kind of romantic or sexual relationship with neither Tuesday nor Spencer, just so we're clear."  
  
 _Tedious._  
  
" So you didn't sleep with him then?"  
" I didn't sleep with him that night."  
  
 _Aggravating_.  
  
" Even if he was seen entering your apartment that night and leaving with you in the morning wearing your clothes?"  
" How did you... wait, didn't I answer this question?"  
  
 _Repetitive._  
  
" So, you didn't sleep with Spencer Simmons at all?"  
" I didn't sleep with Spencer that night, really! He just slept over, okay?"  
  
 _Irritating_.  
  
" The way you phrase that seems a little strange. Are you sure you didn't sleep with him?"  
" What? Do you want me to tell you I slept with him even if I didn't?!"  
  
 _I N F U R I A T I N G_.  
  
" But you _did_ sleep with him, didn't you?"  
  
 _SNAP_.  
  
" But it wasn't until two weeks later!"   
  
It took Roddy a few seconds to realize what he had just said, to feel the vibrations of people's gasps ringing in his ears.   
  
He had literally stood up against Allen, confused, because he didn't remember when he got on his feet, and now, Tuesday was pulling him by the end of his shirt to get him to sit and calm down. He slowly receded into the sofa, face frozen in shock, it's like he had no control of himself, his body, his voice.  
  
" This is quite the love triangle isn't it?"  
" Love triangle? What love triangle?" Tuesday asked, confused.  
  
" Roddy's not going out with me. It doesn't matter if he wants to go out with my brother, so there's no conflict."  
" Not with you, Miss Tuesday."  
" So... Why am I here, again?"  
Ignoring Tuesday, Allen changed the subject.  
  
" Roddy here was rumoured to be the lover of three. We've confirmed that he's not in a relationship with the singer-songwriter, but we've heard it straight from the horse's mouth that he was involved with the political figure, now there's just one more concern."  
" H-hey! What are you doing?" Tuesday tried to interrupt the man, but his voice boomed over her much more gentle one.  
  
" Ladies and gentlemen, this is the rumoured young lover of none other than DJ Ertegun!"  
  
A series of candid photos of Roddy and Ertegun were shown onscreen. They were mostly of their dinner dates in public, but they shot the moments where they were caught breifly holding hands.  
  
" Paparazzi didn't think to go back and find these shots until after a certain vlog video was released."  
  
On screen was a video of Pyotr and Tuesday, recording himself and telling his followers that he was about to enter a building for a new job.  
  
" If you zoom into the background, we can see you coming out of Ertegun's luxury car and he's seen here kissing your hand. And there's more! Plenty of security footage of you two sneaking off for a few minutes together during work hours. Security footage of you entering his home at night and leaving in the morning, and vice versa!"  
  
 _More gasps, more reactions. Oh. Look. Tuesday is covering her mouth with her hands, she's looking at me in shock. I can see Gus and Spencer backstage.  
  
Gus... He's got his head tilted upward, but his face is in his large palm. He can't even look at me. It's not as bad as Spencer. Like Tuesday, he's covering his mouth, but unlike her, he's not covering a gaping gasp, he's sealing his lips shut. Besides... He has this intense look of pity in his eyes, gazing at me.  
_  
" Pretending to be a popular Indie singer's boyfriend, sleeping with her brother, who is a political figure and having an affair with your boss, who just so happens to be the richest musician and entrepreneur on the planet. What were you thinking? What were your _motivations_ behind that?" Allen had a very sinister tone with ill intent, oozing with malice. His desire to make the public react and boost ratings were transparent as can be and it froze Roddy to his core.  
  
" I... Did...n't..." He started to speak, but shut his mouth almost immediately. Roddy was still and silent. He didn't know how to respond. All of it was true, but it would be complicated to get a word out without Allen being grossly obnoxious, trying to manipulate his words or distract him from saying something properly.  
  
" People are saying that you're a gold digging clout chaser. What do you have to say about that?"  
" Sh-shu... Shut up!" That voice... It was so unlike her to get angry like this. Tuesday was on her feet, placing herself between Roddy and Allen.  
  
" Roddy isn't like that!" Tuesday yelled.  
" Roddy is a good guy! Really! He's the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for!"  
  
" Are you saying you never felt used by him? Or that he hangs around you to get popular?" Allen asked, finally diverting his attention to her.  
  
" Used by him?! If anything it's the other way around! Roddy made the viral video that got me and Carole famous. He helped us make connections by pulling strings for us and even helped us get our first and second gig. He found and reported the stalker who injured me to the authorities, he helped spread mine and Carole's message across the planet, he helped produce some of our latest songs. He does so much for us all the time, but it's not just us! He does it for lots of his friends whether they're famous or not!"  
" You're defending him pretty intensely there, Tuesday. Are you sure there's nothing going on between you two? Not even some unrequited love?"  
At this point, she had completely lost it.   
  
Tuesday threw her drink into the interviewer's face. As sweet, quiet and docile she may appear to be, Tuesday does have a history of a wild streak.   
  
She was a truant and a runaway, she had the courage to do a guerilla performance, she tried to set a celebrity's living room on fire and she ran up onto a stage in front of thousands of people on her second gig with full vigor. She had so much more courage than anyone would think in that frail looking body of hers.  
  
" For your information, Roddy isn't my type. This interview is over." Tuesday grabbed Roddy by the sleeve, dragging a zombified, lifeless shell of her friend.   
  
" Roddy! Are you okay?" Spencer said, shaking Roddy.  
" Ertegun... What'll happen to him?" Roddy mumbled.  
Gus was looking at his phone, at the commentary for the live show. Half of all people were admiring Tuesday and hating Allen, the other half were slandering Roddy.  
" Let me see." Tuesday said, as Gus handed her his phone.  
" Oh no..."  
" We should really get out of here." Spencer pressed as Gus nodded and laid a hand on Roddy's back, pushing him to walk faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tuesday is kinda best girl, right? Even if I developed character relationships, my goal while writing this fic is to avoid characters getting way too OOC ( Somewhat failed to avoid this with Spencer).  
> Tuesday has actually been shown to be a nervous wreck even if she's kind of a badass, so I think she's still in character. Allen is a sensationalist because I got that vibe from him when watching the show and Aaron's motivations are pretty clear in the show, so exaggerating them doesn't change him much.


	8. Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the catastrophe of an interview.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no smut. Sorry. Next chapter. Really.  
> Update 05/April :Will be posting chapters 9-11 by April 20th! I'm working on this fic daily, don't worry!

They were all at Carole and Tuesday's home and Carole was making tea for everyone.  
" I saw the show. It was pretty nasty of that guy."  
She said as she walked over to the couch area, where she set a tray with five empty cups with one hand and a tea pot with the other right onto the coffee table.  
" I'm proud of you for standing up to that big jerk, Tues."  
" Thanks, Carole."  
The two girls sat next to each other, facing Roddy, Spencer and Gus on the opposite side.  
  
" I'm sorry about what happened. I shouldn't have set up that interview." Gus apologized.  
" N-no! It's my fault for asking Roddy to pretend to be my boyfriend even if he was seeing someone!" Tuesday added, trying to take the blame herself.  
" But you didn't know." Carole sighed.  
" It's my fault, too... For reasons better left unsaid." Spencer tried to do the same, only his involvement ran deeper and more complex.  
" For kissing him when he was drunk or sleeping with him?" Carole asked.  
" He said he wouldn't have gotten into the cab without a kiss. Dragging him to the front of the house was hard enough, he threatened to be problematic on purpose of I didn't!"  
" S-sorry...." Roddy, who remained silent mostly, finally spoke.  
" But of course you were drunk, so you aren't completely to blame, after all, I should've just forced you into the cab!"  
" Guys... Don't blame yourselves." Roddy interjected, attempting to stop his friends' cycle of self blame.  
  
Carole almost said " I didn't.", but stopped herself.  
" I... Messed up. I wasn't careful with Ertegun. And I wasn't careful with Aaron. He definitely did all this, but I _did_ piss him off."  
  
" The guy was creeping on Tuesday, you have nothing to be sorry for!" Carole roared it in a manner that shook him to a jump.  
  
" You did the right thing!" She affirmed again, fiercer than ever.  
  
" Carole's right," Spencer said.  
  
" You know, Ertegun was being stalked before you dated him, so it's not as if you were never going to be caught by paparazzi."  
  
" So, when did you start dating Ertegun?"  
" ... Almost two months, now..."  
" Whoa, seriously? I had no idea." Carole said.  
" This isn't going to look good for his public image. That's what you're concerned about, yeah?" Roddy nodded at Spencer, but kept his head down.  
  
" I've warned you about this stuff, Roddy. You shouldn't worry about Ertegun. He's a grown man, he can handle the scandal, you, on the other hand..."  
" I'm not a kid anymore, Gus." Roddy said firmly, but with his head kept down.  
  
" I don't need someone telling me who I can and can't date. I have a driver's license, I work multiple jobs, pay bills, network with connections and I even go out drinking every now and then. You can't deny that I've grown up. Treat me like an adult for once."  
" _Grown ups_ like you get into messes like these from time to time. Being grown up is about more than just those basic necessities. Being grown up is about how you handle your personal relationships, too. I'm not saying it's wrong for you to be with Ertegun, even if I'm not exactly comfortable with that idea just yet, I just want us all to come up with a solution that'll get you out of this mess with minimal damage to you, because there is no way you're getting out of this mess unharmed. That's real life, Roddy. You can't be evasive about this stuff. You need to face it head on."  
  
" I... Don't know what to do..."  
  
" I have a suggestion, but it's going to hurt a lot. It will help us all understand the situation better." Carole said it so hesitantly, it wasn't going to be pleasant, but everyone in the room knew it was probably a reasonable suggestion.  
  
" We need to read the comments. See what popular opinions are so we can approach this in an appropriate way."  
  
" Gus and I only saw a few, but not many in Roddy's favour."  
  
" I'll get an AI to analyze public opinion."  
It only took Roddy a few minutes to come up with an approximate pie chart of the content of the comments section.  
  
_35 % positive opinion on Tuesday  
20 % negative opinion on Allen  
25 % negative opinion on Roddy  
15 % sympathy for Roddy  
05 % miscellaneous  
_  
" More people are expressing hate for me rather than Allen."  
" It's just five percent." Gus pointed out the bright side, but it wasn't much of a bright side.  
" Besides, it can't be accurate, right? I'm sure a lot of people cheering on Tuesday agree with her and feel bad for you. Just because it's not in their comment doesn't mean they don't feel it." Carole added that remark just as there was a strange beep coming from the laptop Roddy was using.  
  
" You might need to refresh that. There's this strange News article that's come out."  
Roddy sorted the AI trying to recalculate its chart, and everything changed.  
  
_12.5 % positive opinion on Tuesday  
12.5 % negative opinion on Allen  
12.5 % negative opinion on Roddy  
12.5 % sympathy for Roddy  
40.0 % negative opinion on Ertegun  
10.0 % miscellaneous  
_  
" What happened?" Roddy whispered under his breath, looking around the room, everyone was on their phone.  
  
Carole had a disgusted expression on her face and Tuesday seemed on the verge of tears. Gus seemed like he was about to blow a fuse and so was Spencer.  
  
" He's not like that anymore! I didn't want to remember that!" Tuesday sobbed.  
" Man, I forgot how angry I was back then! It's pretty gross now that I think about it. But we forgave him for that, right, Tues?"  
" This is why I didn't want to leave your side! This is disgusting behaviour!" Gus cried out.  
" If I had known... I wouldn't have been so polite to Ertegun..." Spencer stated that in a way that made it seem like he was on the verge of murdering Ertegun.  
" Guys... What happened?"  
" Your boyfriend... did some pretty gross things, Roddy." Spencer said bluntly as he handed him his phone.  
" Watch this video."  
  
" **DJ Ertegun, musical genius, CEO of clothing franchises, one of Mars' most handsome and eligible bachelors, but secretly a predator**!"  
  
_H-huh?! That's Aaron's voice...  
  
_" **DJ Ertegun is a known womanizer. Hundreds of women claim to have slept with him, some are questionably younger than others. His inappropriate behaviour has been ignored up until recently. Here's some footage of women he's been seen entering hotels with four years ago**!"  
  
A clip of that very imagery was shown. Facial recognition software was used to reveal the identity and age of the two women he's seen holding at the entrance of a hotel.  
  
" **Ertegun is thirty-eight in the video while his companions are only a few days past their eighteenth birthdays! What a filthy perv! He could have fathered them when he was twenty! But that's not all, I mean these girls are just a couple of nobodies, am I right?! He's crept up on famous girls such as Angela, Carole and Tuesday!** "  
  
_What the...  
_  
" **In this clip from Mars' Brightest, Ertegun is seen blatantly and very obviously flirting with Angela from the judge's seat, even blowing her a kiss while winking! _Yuck_! And a few months later, in October, the two collaborate on a song that Ertegun wrote for his comeback. Seems nice and innocent and all, except for those lyrics! _LIGHTS GO OUT_ is _clearly_ a song about two people who don't even know each other being sexually compatible and having wild sex in the dark! Quite a peculiar choice of words and song to make a SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL sing for you _after_ you were seen flirting with her so intensely on television, Ertegun!**"  
  
_N-no... He... Always... always behaved like that... It's not like he actually... With Angela...  
_  
" **In this surveillance footage taken from his home, the singing duo we all know and love come to him before their fame on Mars' Brightest arose. These two innocent angels come to him asking for help and to listen to their song and what does he do?!** "  
  
" _...oh, or were you planning on sleeping your way up the ladder? You can take your song and throw it out like the trash it is_."   
" _How can you say that when you haven't even listened?!_ "  
" _I can already tell, because I am Ertegun. Your song is uninspiring and simple. It's been done before. And I won't waste my time with it_."  
_He... Said those things to them... how could he... I mean... The girls forgive him, but I'm still pretty damn mad that he said such things. And I'm in love with him. I can't imagine how much angrier someone with no personal connection to him must feel.  
_  
" **Can you believe the ego on this one?? Such an asshat, isn't he?! He insults these girls, implies sexual favours to boost their careers, which we all know they didn't need, by the way, and insults their music without even listening to a mere millisecond of it! Such a horrible guy! And did I mention that the girls are 17 YEARS OLD in this video? That's soliciting sex with minors! Someone arrest this guy already!** "  
  
_This is pretty serious... Ertegun is in real trouble now..._  
There were several clips of Roddy being touched and flirted with by Ertegun.  
  
" **For those of you making excuses for this guy at home, I have this to say: while many were under the impression that his bankruptcy improved his behaviour, as he's shown to be more humble and hasn't been spotted with a woman for months, problems arise with the revelation of his EXTREMELY young lover, who just happens to be a little less than half his age!**  
**Now, for the man of the hour, let's learn a little more about Ertegun's current partner, Roddy. He was a boy who graduated from high school at the insanely young age of 14. He moved to Alba city, away from his parents, to go to trade school and became a freelance AI programmer. While he was in trade school, he made connections and by the time he graduated at the age of 16, he had found many employers who had him sign contracts. Among those employers was DJ Ertegun, who had Roddy on sound check duty for every one of his shows. There's plenty of surveillance footage of Ertegun getting a little too touchy-feely with his youngest ever employee from the start! While Roddy is of legal age right now, you could say that he was groomed to be his employer's lover. Do we know if he actually loved the old coot or if he was raised to? This guy isn't that much younger than Roddy's own father! Guess we know Roddy's got a bit of a daddy fetish! I mean, his parents were a little absent since he had gained independence at such an early age! "  
**  
_Shit! How dare he! Aaron is obnoxious! There's only one minute of slander left in this video. I think that's all the important stuff. I can't stand watching this any longer than I already have.  
_  
" Roddy... We forgive him. He can't get in trouble for what he said to us, okay?" Tuesday said, approaching him and to pat him on the shoulder.  
" Yeah, he's really changed and since _you_ love him, we totally won't press charges."  
" This is my fault... Aaron did this because of me... There must have been another way to protect you..."  
Roddy's phone started ringing, and so he checked to see who it was.  
  
" UNKNOWN CALLER"  
  
There was really no choice but to pick it up in this situation. He answered it on speaker phone.  
  
" _So, did you enjoy my little video?_ "  
Aaron. Goddamn Aaron.  
" Why would you do this?!"  
" _I wanted to be famous. You told me to stop chasing after celebrities, so I started chasing them in a different way_."  
There was an awkward, petrified pause in the room.  
  
" Do you do this... To become famous?" Roddy trembled, and it showed in his voice that he somewhat feared a person with such an extreme reaction for such shallow motivations.  
  
" _Why else_?"  
" You've got people calling Roddy a clout chaser when that's what you actually are, you asshole!" Carole shouted at the phone.  
  
" _Ooh. I didn't realize we had company on this call_. _Tell you what, Roddy. We have a few weeks of work left on our contract. Behave yourself and I won't release the your sex tape_."  
" Sex tape?"  
" _Of you and Ertegun, of course. Just so we're clear. What? Have you lost track of how many people you've had sex with? Are you that much of a tart? I didn't even know you had slept with that politician until today. If I can find anything like that, I'll release it for the fun of it._ "  
  
" How awful..." Tuesday sobbed.  
" You're disgusting!" Spencer shouted.  
" _Oh, is that him_?" Aaron asked, teasingly.  
Spencer clicked his teeth and turned away from the others, hiding his shameful expression.  
" _Thanks for being my ticket to fame, rich kid. This was fun. I bet you had a lot of fun with that harlot, so we're all getting something out of this, right_?"  
  
_Beep_.  
  
Gus had turned off the phone.  
  
" It was aggravating. There's nothing we can do. He's not even trying to negotiate things. I hate a villain who brags about their big plan in movies."  
Everyone looked at Gus, thinking he made the right call by hanging up, mind the pun.  
  
" Roddy, about Ertegun..."  
" Gus, I... I _really_ love him. I _love_ being with him. He didn't manipulate me or anything Aaron claimed in his video."  
" You realize that he's your boss, right? There's a certain power dynamic involved and people are going to interpret that in the worst way possible."  
" I've always been able to quit whenever I want. I'm not bound to him by contract and never have been. He just calls me to work whenever. I've _ACTIVELY_ chosen to be by his side time and again."  
  
" Really? I mean, it makes no difference. As sincere as your relationship is, it's not like everyone can understand it. His career seems... Ruined."  
" I... I need to see him."  
" Roddy, wait!" Spencer yelled.  
" There's nothing left to discuss!" Roddy yelled as he ran out the door.   
  
He tried to call Ertegun, but he wasn't answering and not texting back.  
He tried tracking Ertegun through his GPS and headed towards his location: at the Immigrant's Memorial Hall.  
  
  
_Ertegun_!  
  
There he was, on the stage, sitting at the grand piano, playing a slower version of _LIGHTS GO OUT_. It was beautiful and calming.  
  
" Ertegun?" Roddy called out, but the silver haired man only turned his head slightly and merely glanced at him from the corner of his eye, it seemed. The spotlight cast light onto his heavy brow, draping his eyelids with a shadow.  
  
" Roddy... I thought of _you_ when writing this song."  
" Of course you did, I mean I _was_ with you when you wrote it." Roddy, said as he was approaching the stage.  
  
" That's not what I meant." He was obviously very much more upset than a few days ago. Somehow, Roddy was _able to just tell_ , he could _feel_ it. So, obviously, he knows about Aaron's video.  
" Ertegun... You and I are not strangers." There has an awkward pause, and all that was heard was the gentle strum of strings in the piano through the tender pressing of keys from the man sitting at the Grand piano's ivory bench.  
  
" Yeah, but it sometimes felt like it. There I was, being fake as can be... I had spent all those years with you and we knew nearly nothing about each other. I surrounded myself with fake people because I never wanted to be alone, but they still made me feel lonely. As isolated as the stars above, but shining brightly with potential. It's very much possible to be and feel alone and still incarnate greatness, much like the stars."   
  
And just then, he started playing the part of the song where it started speeding up... Roddy climbed up onto the stage and laid his hand on the side of the piano.  
  
" And what about the rest? _I know somewhere we can go, somewhere we can lose control, we can find a miracle... when the lights go out?_ " Roddy quoted it in an awkward manner, trying not to sing, because of what the implications of the lyrics meant.  
  
" Oh. That. Well..." He slowed down the key notes to a stop, laying his hands on his hips.  
  
" I don't know how to explain it. It's exactly what it sounds like, but keep in mind, Roddy: I _was_ thinking of _you,_ you know."  
Roddy completely flushed red.  
  
" What, did you really think I meant those for _Angela_? I mean, you were there. I didn't know what I was doing. I was jamming. I had to find someone to sing it and Angela was an afterthought. I thought of her after the song was finished. _You_ were in my mind throughout the process. I mean, you _were_ there for me throughout my time of need. Don't be so surprised."  
  
Roddy didn't know how to respond. He came closer to the man sitting on the piano bench and sat with him. As he tried to take his hands in his, he felt the older man slip his hands away.  
  
" You don't need to force yourself to be with me."  
" I'm not."  
" I didn't think losing you was possible until today..." Ertegun's voice quivered, and it seemed to be a sob.  
  
" Don't even say that I was brainwashed or something dumb like that. I'm my own person. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't still be working for you, right?" This time, Roddy firmly placed his hand on Ertegun's, trying to assure him that he'd be there for him.  
  
" Roddy, you have no idea... How complete you make me feel." Roddy slipped his arms around the man and sunk his face into his shoulder.  
  
" I could have worked anywhere, but I prefer to be by your side. I can't picture a scenario where I'd leave you, Ertegun." His grip around the more muscular man tightened as another sob was drawn from him.  
  
" I saw the video. Did you?" Roddy asked, making Ertegun widen his eyes, holding his breath, as if he feared this topic more than anything.  
  
" Of course I did... Aren't you mad at me?"  
  
" Of course I am. But my friends forgive you and I still love you. That hasn't changed." Ertegun allowed himself to sob a little more and held onto Roddy's arms pressing them against himself.  
  
For a while, they stayed silent, resting in each other's embrace.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ertegun is definitely my favorite character amongst a cast of characters that I already adore so much.  
> There's so much about him to analyze after I spent most of the show hating him for being an insensitive, narcissistic, egomaniacal, predatory douchebag. When I put those words in Aaron's mouth, I meant it. His behaviour was pretty awful/questionable and even if I love how he's changed, we can't just ignore his past/shitty behaviour/wrongdoings and they need to be called out.


	9. Heat Rush Over Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the disaster that was the interview with Allen and Aaron's scandalous tell-all video, Roddy heads to Ertegun's home the night before his interview for emotional support and to interrogate him about the state of their sexual relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just smut. Just a complete chapter full of smut. 
> 
> If you're still reading this as it's being written, I thank you for your patience!

  
  
_Ertegun's dealing with it. He's been preparing for the interview the past few days. Halting public appearances, postponing meetings... Until we can get this all settled. He can handle this..._  
  
 _Yeah... He will._  
  
" You sure that boyfriend of yours isn't a loose cannon?" Gus asked in a harsh tone.  
" I think he can handle it... Much better than I did, at least. He's done plenty of interviews in the past." Roddy said, trying to reassure Gus, but deep down, he was also trying to reassure himself.  
  
" You sure he's not rusty? You said he hasn't done one of these in a while." Carole pointed out a problematic fact. There was that plus the fact that Ertegun is in a pretty emotional state as of now. The interview with Allen was coming up and Ertegun insisted on going alone. He had nobody to hold him back or defend him if he got emotional. He'd be completely vulnerable to Allen's manipulations.  
  
" I want to accompany him to the studio. Ertegun gets pretty nervous before a public appearance and usually wants me to be there for him before something major. And this is pretty important..."   
" Wait, what??" Carole asked, shaken by this information.  
  
" Ertegun? Nervous? In the same sentence?! Did I hear that right? Are my ears busted? Am I having a stroke?" Gus was even more baffled than Carole was about this notion of Ertegun being _nervous_.  
  
" No offense, Roddy, but isn't he a little too cocky to be nervous, like, ever?" Carole asked, hesitantly. It was really taking the whole room some time to process this revelation.  
  
" Right. You guys don't know... He really does only show me that side of him... It's not like it's a recent thing, either. For years, now, I usually go to his dressing room to reassure him that he's going to do fine. It's really refreshing to see his insecure side. For a guy who only shows the side of himself with a god complex in public, it's beautiful to see the moments where he's completely humanized. I feel special when he shows that side to me and only me."   
The others in the room stared at Roddy in awe.  
  
" Wh-what is it?!"  
" Wow... You really are in love with him!" Tuesday exclaimed with the brightest smile.  
" I hope the lyrics I wrote for _Heart's on FIRE_ didn't seem too invasive..." She shyly apologised.  
" Are you kidding me? It's a wonderful song. You summed it up pretty well." As weird as it was to listen to a song about himself when the writer didn't know who the subject was, Roddy was flattered and touched to hear it.  
  
" I'm... Really nervous about tomorrow, too. I really don't know what to expect... But tonight, I'll be spending the night with him."  
" I'll drive you there, alright?"  
  
Gus dropped off Roddy quite hesitantly at the mansion on the outskirts of town.  
" Roddy... That video from before..."  
He knew what Gus was about to say. It wasn't anything about Ertegun. They had already discussed everything about Ertegun and his behaviour and how he's changed. They've talked so little about how it would personally affect Roddy himself rather than his relationship.   
  
" They put out my life story and it's out there. I know." Roddy almost said in in a regretful sigh. He had never wanted a life of fame and now there was a full biography of himself out there because of a spiteful co-worker.  
" I know I haven't always been there for you, but..." He sighed, taking an exasperated pause.  
  
" I'm trying."  
Roddy had always known that Gus tried to be there for as much as he could, given his most frequent state of drunken stupor for most of the years he had been in Alba city. Gus had a drinking problem before he discovered the girls, but whenever he wasn't drowning in booze, he really did try his best to look after Roddy. Being bought out after Flora had abandoned him, Gus had enough money to buy as much booze as he wanted and enough to support Roddy if he was having a tough month with equipment expenses for work or if he needed a ride to a job interview. Roddy let the memories of Gus being there for him sink in before very sincerely replying back.  
  
" I know you are. Thanks, Gus... For everything. You're not my dad or anything, so there's really no need for you to try so hard, alright? You've done enough for me, really. I want you to know that I appreciate it very much."   
This response was met with a soft smile from the man in the driver's seat as Roddy let himself out and closed the door behind him. Gus reeled down the window to get another note off his chest.  
  
" Look, I've... Known a lot of celebrities. It's not easy. The scandals are tests, hurdles, obstacles, hell, they're the obstacle courses of this lifestyle. You need to be prepared for that kind of life. With so many people in your surroundings being famous and all... Especially when you're a big celebrity's boyfriend, things will inevitably be drastically difficult. And that difficulty level just comes with the territory. If you really, truly love him, you're going to need to prepare and bring your expectations to speed for that kind of life."  
" I understand, Gus. That just means I'm even more motivated to stay by his side no matter what."   
  
Gus and Roddy said their goodbyes. Gus, being very father-like, drove off slowly and hesitantly as Roddy walked up to the entrance. He only drove away at a normal pace once Roddy let himself in.  
  
  
He found Ertegun in the living room, smoking a cigar, a glass of whiskey set on the coffee table, the large bottle sat there with it and a bucket of ice.  
He wore his white bathrobe and a dazed look on his face, that's until his expression turned to shock.  
  
" Roddy! Weren't you coming here in two hours?"  
Ertegun immediately put out the cigar and grabbed some breath mints that were lying on the sofa, popping in about five.  
  
" I wanted to see you as soon as I could." Roddy said, approaching him until he stood close, facing him.  
" So... Are we going to talk about tomorrow?" The programmer ran his slender fingers through the silver mane of hair delicately, holding the left side of his lover's face tenderly caressing it as the man on the couch laid one of his large hands onto the one that held him.  
  
" Yeah... I'm just going to go out there and tell the truth. We've had this talk before, haven't we? I'm going to defend you. Simple as that."  
Roddy sat on Ertegun's right side, still holding his left cheek, and now with his other arm wrapped around Ertegun's right shoulder.  
  
" I've been meaning to ask you something..."   
" Sure. What is it?"  
" Can we... have sex... tonight?"  
" Of course we're going to have sex. We do it all the time, Roddy."   
  
Roddy sighed and sat back, letting go and turning away, at this point, annoyed that his partner that he trusted so much would avoid this topic at a time like this.  
  
" No, I mean, actual sex with... you know... intercourse."   
  
There was a silence in the room. Ertegun only casually looked away and grabbed his whiskey glass for a sip.  
  
" Ertegun... Answer me... Please. Is there a reason you won't do it? Are you scared I'll be bad at it?" The man choked on his drink and as it dripped to his goatee, he hurriedly wiped it off with his sleeve.  
  
" No, Roddy! That's not it."  
He licked his lips, ridding himself of the drip and quickly, but calmly took another sip, pretty much just downing the entire drink this time. Roddy sat at a further distance. He reached for the younger man, but was pushed back.  
  
" Don't... distract me... I won't let you seduce me out of forgetting the subject this time. I want an answer."  
" Heh... Caught me."  
He backed off and kept a respectable distance.  
  
" Well, sex to me... Was nothing before... Just a cheap means of acquiring easy dopamine to fool myself into thinking I was happy. I wasn't actually... happy, I mean... I was... Just..." He scoffed at himself, trying to put his words together as he poured himself another drink, swishing the dark amber liquid around the ice to cool it quicker.  
  
" The people I had sex with before you were nothing to me. I always left them wanting more. And I mean, I really did leave it at that... With them wanting more. But at some point, you get sick of some people. Too much of a good thing is tiresome. You'll grow numb to it. Like... When you get as rich as I am, or was... you won't care how much money you waste. It doesn't affect you any more."  
" What does that have to do..."   
" You'll get the most out of it by doing intercourse." He responded as if to interrupt, showing just how quickly he wanted to get his explanation out of the way.  
  
" Roddy... You're young, I'm not. How long until you get sick of me? You may have the life experience and routine of a regular adult, but you've got so many more years ahead of you than I do. I'm just trying to delay that so that when you're actually tired of me, I've got an ace up my sleeve that I can use to reel you back in." He took a sip of the cooled whiskey and put his thoughts together, avoiding Roddy's gaze, fearing that he was being judged with an accusing glare for his evasive behavior. However, he never looked his way at this moment to find out.  
  
" I was trying to buy time. I want to be with you for as long as possible. I wanted to keep you interested in me. Figured for as long as I had something you were waiting for, you wouldn't leave me. Didn't think you'd coax it out of me so early. But then again, you have been by my side for a couple years even if we've only been dating for two months. I guess I couldn't hold it in anymore." He chuckled briefly and after a second of silence, he downed the rest of his drink.  
  
 _Ertegun's worried about that kind of thing... It's not like he's wrong about being at a disadvantage because of the age gap. It's causing a lot of trouble. How can I convince him that he's the one I want? How can I convince him.._.  
  
" But, Ertegun," Roddy whispered, coming closer, laying his hands on his man's shoulders, slithering his arms around his neck, grappling him, holding him closer.  
" ...Wouldn't you rather _show me_ how you're the only one who can satisfy me? Don't you want to remind me as much as you can that _I'm yours_?"  
" Roddy... You..."  
" I want to take those doubts of yours and melt them all away. I want you to indulge in my body." Roddy placed a kiss on his neck, quite close to where his earring was, and exhaled into his ear.  
" Don't you love me, Ertegun?"  
" Of course I do, Roddy."  
" Then, make love to me the way I want you to. I'm not leaving you. Believe me. Why would I be so persistent otherwise? I'm not tempted by anyone else so long as I have you."  
" Of course, but... Can't it wait until tomorrow?"  
" Tomorrow? Why?"  
" I feel uneasy...when things are like this."  
" Like what?"  
" There's something I haven't told you. Actually... I..."  
" Ertegun?"  
" No... It's best if I announce it tomorrow during the interview."  
" You're not proposing, are you?"  
" Eager, aren't you? Don't you worry. If it ever came to that, we'd be married before anyone else knew we were even engaged to begin with."  
" If it's not that, can't you tell me now?"  
" As much as I love you, Roddy... There's stuff I can't admit to your face... Even the good ones I have to thank you for... Some things are just too hard to say out loud to the person you treasure the most."  
  
" I understand. I'll wait, then." Roddy gave Ertegun a peck right on his cheekbone.  
  
" I love you, Ertegun." He said as he nuzzled him lovingly.  
  
" How do you feel about all this? You've only expressed concern for me these past few days." Ertegun asked, caressing Roddy's jawline.  
  
" Oh... Uh... Well, you know, I never really liked the idea of being famous... And now a lot of people know who I am. I try to stay indoors, but I need to go out and go to my jobs and see my friends, so... I can feel people staring at me strangely sometimes and I can hear them gossiping about me. I'm not too into that. Oh, but some kid did come up to me asking me to fix her AI pet the other day. And a couple people passing me by on the street came up to me with their business cards asking me to work for them. Sorry, I'm probably rambling, right?" Roddy chuckled as he buried his face into the muscular man's shoulder, still with arms wrapped around him tightly.  
  
" You know, Roddy, I liked keeping our relationship private, but I'm tired of all this sneaking around. Besides... The real reason to keep it secret is so that nobody discovers you and steals my cute little sound tech away from me. Seems like I've already got some competition."  
" Isn't it the other way around? I'm sure a lot of women out there want to tear us apart so they can have you to themselves."  
" No mere woman can satisfy me the way you do."  
" How so?"  
" There's that nice, long shaft you shove down my throat that I love to swallow up."  
" I want yours inside of me."  
" Patience."  
" What if I can't be patient?"  
" I'll make you be patient. I _promise_ , after the interview tomorrow, I'll do whatever you want me to do to you... Or, uh, with you."  
  
Ertegun pulled him closer and plunged in for a kiss. Roddy kissed back, his moans were muffled by the older man's tongue. He felt an electrifying feeling run across his abdomen, his nipples perking up, his body heating up, his back arching up to press further into him. Roddy's slender fingers ran through the head of silver hair, messing up Ertegun's slicked back hair, in the meantime, his ring-adorned fingers ran through the back of Roddy's red hair, his head was cupped in those large hands. This passionate kiss only got wetter, wilder and more untamed as they took their hands off of each other's hair, and broke the kiss to tear each other's clothes off. Ertegun sucked onto Roddy's neck, near his collarbone, as he unbuttoned the Jean jacket and pulled it off.  
  
" Ah... Yes! More...! I...! love...! it!" Roddy panted and gasped as he lifted his arms for his shirt to be pulled off.  
" Roddy...." Ertegun sighed and slipped his hands down to his pants, pulling those off, too.  
In response, he yanked onto Ertegun's bathrobe, dragging the sleeves down and opening it up, seeing that he was completely naked under the robe.  
  
He straddled Ertegun forcefully and pressed himself against him, giving him a line of hickeys from his neck to his shoulder blade, and reaching behind him with his right hand, he felt his boyfriend's semi hardened cock, stroking it a couple times to bring it to a full erection. Once fully erect, he took Ertegun's shaft between his cheeks, gliding along the lenght.  
  
" I wish you'd get inside me tonight..."  
Roddy whispered in desperation, but didn't expect Ertegun to grab his hips and stand up immediately, giving Roddy a shock that made him hold him tighter.  
  
" No. Especially not here."  
Ertegun carried Roddy all the way to his studio while they showered each other with kisses wherever they could reach.  
  
" Studio... But why?"  
" The only place in this house without security cameras."  
" But there's AI..."  
" AI that are shut down. They won't record anything."  
" What if they're rogue?"  
" Even if those AI have no cameras built in?"  
" The audio recording functions though..."  
" Well, then, Roddy, we'll give them a show. But your body, your appearance in a state of orgasm, is for my eyes only."  
" Ertegun... I need to tell you... A new co-worker of mine... Threatened to release a sex tape of us."  
" I know. He threatened me, too. My lawyer and my private investigator are working on it right now. They're getting a warrant for his arrest ready. They'll get it back. Don't worry. But for the time being, I'd like to be in a room with you where we won't be watched by unwanted voyeurs." He set his slender lover on top of a lounge couch that faced the glass window of the studio, but right now, the glass was a mirror on both sides.   
  
The seat had a pretty wide space between the edge and the back rest, so Roddy was able to rest on all fours, palms and knees on the seat, his feet hung over the edge, legs spread to face the man behind him, rummaging around.  
  
" What are you doing?"  
" When I got the threat, I moved all the toys here. We'll need to do it here for a while."  
" Toys?! Again?!" Roddy asked, nearly in a gasp.  
  
" I know you want something more, but you've been getting off just fine without intercourse."  
Ertegun put it in such a simplistic way, but the reality was much more intense than that.  
  
The orgasms Roddy would experience from mere toy play, fingering, and oral sex would send him into a wild frenzy of sweaty, mind numbing and body recoiling spasms of ecstasy that made him continuously spill so much of his seed and transpire to the point of dangerous dehydration. He craved those sensations everytime he and Ertegun started anything sexual, he was certain to get his fill of what he expected every time, whether or not it involved intercourse. Which it always didn't.  
  
" It's going to go this way, Roddy. I know it's not the way you prefer, but... It works. So, for putting up with my methods all this time, I think you deserve a reward."  
" A... Reward?"  
" Yes, that's right...."  
" Is it your cock in my ass?"  
" No."  
He pulled out an assortment of anal toys next to him in his line of sight as he turned his head.  
  
" You do get to choose which one of these new toys I use on you first."  
" P-purple..." Roddy looked away, blushing after just a glance. Ertegun grabbed the toy and sat next to him on the couch.  
  
He had immediately been drawn to an aubergine coloured c-shaped silicone toy, the larger one of the ends was studded and for insertion, while the other, smooth end was for testicular stimulation.  
  
The toy entered smoothly. Roddy didn't notice it getting lubed, but it was slathered in the oil-based coconut and strawberry scented lubricant.  
He felt every bump on the toy hit the rim of his anus while it slipped in, reaching in to just gently press against his prostate whilst the other end firmly pressed between his stones. With just one more press, accompanied by tremors, he came to the sudden realization that it was actually a vibrator.  
  
" Aaahh.... Ertegun...!?"  
He felt a further push of the vibrator, Ertegun was grinding it in harder, augmenting the vibration speed, letting the fingers on his other hand make their way to Roddy's cock, caressing it gently, then holding it by the tip, only to tease him by pressing his index finger against the urethra, swiping it across, playing with his pre-cum leaking out prematurely, and this gentle play drove Roddy mad as Ertegun multitasked between being gentle with one hand and mercilessly rough with the other that plowed the vibrator against the sweet spot.  
  
" Ghh...! Ah! Too... In...tense! Vhh! Uhhngh! Fuu... Ahhh! Nooo! It's... Too good!"  
Roddy was shaking, his slender hips trembled, all he could hear were his boyfriend's sultry chuckle, the vibrator echoing into his body, his own moans, his mind was numbing into another orgasm.  
  
" Too soon! I'll cum!"  
Just then, Roddy felt Ertegun's hand on his shaft, slipping something on.  
  
" I got you a little cock ring, too."  
" Er...te...gun... I can't huughhgohh...ho...oohhld it...! Maeh...mahh...ke me cuuuuhhhum!" Roddy was slurring his words, holding back dripping drool and screaming loud enough to express the intensity of the pleasure.  
  
" Come on, Roddy, I've barely even touched you."  
" S-sorry! I... I juuuhh.... ju...st cahhhann't ho...hold my..my...self back... if... it's... you!"  
" So, you last a lot longer with other men?"  
" O...of course...!! No man had turned me on as much as you have!"  
" And women?"  
" No...body has ever... Ahhhn! Ever... made me feel...ungh! Ahhh! The way you make me feel!"  
" And what is that feeling?"  
" Love! Crazy, maddening lust! Heart ache! Body paralyzing pleasure! Constant euphoria! All at once!" Ertegun pushed the vibrator further into Roddy's twitching entrance and in response, this was met with convulsions and screams of pleasure.  
  
" C-c-cum! I'm cumming!"  
As loud as his screams were, he didn't ejaculate. Even so, Roddy was out of breath, uncontrollably panting, ass, hips and cock twitching, his orgasm originated solely from prostate stimulation.  
  
This wasn't a completely new sensation, this was just like most orgasms Roddy had while dating Ertegun. That didn't make this orgasm anything to scoff at, though. It's not like the orgasm was any less good because he reached an amazing one every time, it was more like he was addicted to it, but the frequency of it never dulled the experience, it's not as if he developed a tolerance, because it's more the opposite, really.  
  
" You came from having a mere toy up your ass for just five minutes."  
" I came from you pushing it inside me..."  
" Now... Will you make me cum?" Ertegun said, kissing Roddy's cheek.  
  
Roddy immediately threw himself onto Ertegun's erect cock and started licking it from the base, upwards. Ertegun pulled out a bottle, letting it drizzle onto his tip, dripping down his shaft. It was a flavoured fluid that sex shops sold to make blow jobs more exciting. A sugar free pineapple flavoured syrup laced with aphrodisiac, inciting the giver to lick more vigorously, rewarding themself with a tasty treat, all while consuming an aphrodisiac that would drive them wilder.   
  
It's not as if Roddy was clueless about the product, the two had used this fluid before in different flavours. He knew what consuming this would do to his body. As young and horny as he was, with what seemed to be limitless sex drive, Roddy's insane, seizure-like orgasms weren't where he drew the line and the aphrodisiac could and would elevate those climaxes to nirvanic proportions.   
  
As he was licking the syrup off, he slowed down his pace to let himself absorb the aphrodisiac before indulging completely.  
  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy..." Ertegun sighed, no, he _moaned_. He actually, seriously _moaned_ like a... Roddy stopped himself from thinking of it, but couldn't help but ask himself:  
 _What if Ertegun isn't a top? But that's ridiculous. I've actually_ seen _him top someone before. But that doesn't eliminate the possibility that he's versatile.  
  
MAYBE.   
  
Jeez. That would be weird. But he has commented on how big... I am... so, maybe he does want me to top him. Eventually. Maybe. I hope that's not actually why he won't put it in...  
_  
" Mmngh... Why'd you stop? Come on... Don't tease me like that... Roddy...."  
" I'm sorry! I'll... Uh..."  
Taken by surprise, Roddy couldn't finish his sentence as he was repositioned, Ertegun was on his back and had placed Roddy on top of himself. He was on all fours on the couch, over the older man and they were positioned to pleasure each other.  
  
As he stroked the erect shaft standing before him, he felt strangely over exposed as his crotch faced his lover, even if he had been completely naked in front of security cameras just a few minutes ago, it didn't compare to how bare he felt at this moment, with his cock ring that adorned the appendage hanging above that handsome face, along with his stones and his back entrance to boot.  
  
A cold, wet finger poked at his hole and started slipping in, he knew it was coated with saliva. Roddy felt his tip brush against Ertegun's lips before submerging into them. With both hands, Roddy squeezed and stroked from the middle to the base, but as Ertegun slipped a second, then a third finger in whilst still sucking at the tip, Roddy felt a jolt in his body, urging him to propel forward, impulsively licking his lenght from halfway down, up top and repeating this motion, greedily grazing the lenght with his tongue as if he were desperately trying to finish a sweet treat, almost as if he were trying to devour it.   
  
Roddy couldn't control the lewd, shameless sounds spilling from his throat as he moaned in mind-numbing delight at the stimulation his prostate was receiving while also enjoying the flavour of the syrup residue.  
  
" Your voice is beautiful, Roddy..."  
  
They both sucked each other's tip simultaneously and felt the back of the other's tongues go around it.  
Ertegun took it a step further by taking Roddy all the way in, making him twitch slightly before taking Ertegun in deeper as well, sucking him until Ertegun let out a grunt, letting Roddy slip out of his mouth.  
" Ghh! Ah! Roddy...!" He gasped with a raspy voice.  
  
The man beneath him was panting heavily, as he had just unloaded his cum into his lover. He continued fingering Roddy as he heard him gulping down his load.  
  
" Ertegun... I really... Need... My ass to... Want you to... Fill me up... Do it to me... Please..."  
He could tell from the way his voice sounded and the way he was rendered near breathless, that Roddy just had another orgasm, his shivering hips were another giveaway.  
  
Roddy was laid on his back and this time, he saw Ertegun pick up some black silicone anal beads connected closely by a silicone string. The beads were of moderate size. They have been moving up in size over the past two months, since Roddy had started with a beginner pack, so these beads were five times bigger than the ones he started with.   
  
For these, a different fluid was used, a lube that became very warm, heating up to slightly higher than the inner body temperature of a person once it was inside of a person, whether it be on a man's sex organ or on a sex toy.  
  
One by one, he felt the beads getting shoved in.  
" Ah... Uh! Erte...guhn! I.... Ah! Love it!"  
" Of course you do... Hey..."  
He gently tugged onto Roddy's earlobe with his lips and blew a breath into his ear through his nose, sending a shiver down Roddy's spine.  
  
" Remember... The second pair we ever got of these?"  
" H-how could I.... Ahhhn! F-forget?!" Roddy's back arched against his will, but it happened by pure instinct.  
  
" You were so beautiful that day..."  
" Haaah... Anhhh.... You... Perv... That was such a bad thing to do..."  
" You liked it so much, Roddy, so don't act like you didn't..."  
" Maybe I like being bad sometimes..." He climbed onto Ertegun, legs spread wide, his cock against the older man's.  
  
" I sometimes wonder if you really are an exhibitionist..." Ertegun snickered as he started tugging at the beads.  
  
" Ahhhn! Amae...zing..."  
" It was such a risqué'd thing to do... With you being so well endowed, it's a wonder you were able to hide your hard-on at work..."  
" You're.... Ugnh... Ahhh... You're one to talk..." Roddy replied in a snarky tone, trying not to lose control of his sanity through the insane pleasure.  
  
" I was aroused, too... But I was sitting most of the time... It was fun watching you walk around all hot and bothered, quivering with a toy up your ass at work... Pretending you had a fever.... Does that excuse ever get old?"  
" I'd... Gah....ahhhnn... d-do it againnnn unnnhfuu.... in ahh! A... he....art... beat...." Roddy mumbled, struggling to sound intelligible through the mind-buzzing pleasure. The aphrodisiac was really beginning to kick in.  
  
" Say that again? What is it you'd do again? I didn't hear that properly over the lewd sounds you're making."  
" You kn...know th-th...aahh..at..."  
" What _exactly_ did you do?"  
" I h-had you stuff... Ah.... Anal... B-beads up my ass... Before uuunnnh... Going t-to work... And h-held myself back f...from c... cumming until h...halfway through the sh...shift."  
" Good..." Ertegun spanked Roddy's behind twice before pulling out a bead, making the red-headed twink tremble and shudder in bliss.  
  
" Remember how... I sucked you off... in that... janitor's closet?" With every pause, a bead was popped out by a slow tug.  
  
" How I deepthroated you... as I pulled out the beads... slowly... Just... Like... This..." With every pause and every bead taken out, Roddy sobbed as if he were to cry joyful tears from sexual pleasure.  
  
" Of c-course I remem...ber!" He whimpered in anguish.  
  
" You were about to blow your load into my throat... But someone grabbed the doorknob..."  
" ...and they rattled it... I for...g...got we had... locked it, so..."  
"... It spoiled our fun..."  
"... But then... You sent out... an... Ahhh.... email telling everyone...uwahhh.... to take ahhhh.... prolonged break..."  
"... Bought us an extra hour... Just because I wanted to see you cum." He tugged teasingly at the last bead remaining without taking it out, savouring how his young lover seemed to twitch at each tug.  
  
" So... That really was the only reason?" Roddy asked as he felt the last bead come out, and he yelped as it popped out.  
  
" I need no other reason than to please you... Besides... rest of the staff seemed happy about it, too... Bet they'd cheer you on if they knew."  
" Don't even joke about that..."  
" Roddy... When we got back in the mood... The way you grabbed me by my hair, treated me rough... Fucked my throat..." He took another toy, this time, a nice, long fuchsia coloured dildo almost as long as his own cock.  
  
" It turned me on so much to see such a wild side of you."  
  
The dildo's tip started slowly entering, extracting a grunt, then quivering moans from Roddy, who held tightly onto the man pushing it up inside of him, wrapping his arms around his head and gripping onto his silver hair for dear life as he felt his hole stretching out.  
  
" Er...Ertegun! Ah....!"  
" Then... You forced me to swallow all that cum, pulled my hair and held me on as... You shot all your semen into my throat... It felt amazing.... Roddy..." He pushed it all the way in, hitting Roddy's prostate, making him yell out in shock, holding him tighter.  
  
" It made me realize, Roddy.... You'd make an _amazing_ power bottom..."  
The way Ertegun said those words ever so sultry into his ear, running the back of his tongue across Roddy's helix and nibbling softly into his earlobe, making the smaller man in his arms shudder in a tingling delight.  
  
" How do you like this?"  
" It... Tickles... And it makes my entire body feel... Really good somehow..." He said, not wanting to admit he was shivering in complete arousal and that it hardened his nipples, making him want to fondle them more than ever.   
  
As if reading his mind, Ertegun positioned Roddy to push the dildo inside him on his own by letting it set on the couch, freeing his hands to grab the box of toys, this time a pair of nipple clamps came out of the container. They were linked together by a chain and soon, both clips were hanging onto his hardened nipples, shooting waves of pleasure across his body emanating from the bittersweet sensation of his sensitive spots being clamped on. The dangling chain intensified a harsh tug everytime it moved, everytime Roddy moved as he rode the dildo, guided by his lover's large hands on his hips. He tried to keep his shivering hips under control as much as he could, straining by letting lewd moans escape his throat.  
  
 _Ertegun's... His dick is right there.... Right in front of mine... Ahh... I want it... I want it so bad... Ngh... I want him to put it in..._  
  
Roddy grabbed it with both hands, making the older man shudder, he started jerking him off, hitting the base whenever the dildo inside him hit deepest.  
  
" R-Roddy.... F...uu...aaaah..."  
He took advantage of this opening to plunge into him for a kiss, taking one hand off of Ertegun's dick and wrapping his arm around his neck, grabbing him by the hair to push him deeper into the kiss as he continued to stroke him intensely.   
  
Following Roddy's example, he took his hands off his hips, allowing him to rock back and forth, thrusting in and out on the dildo on his own, so that he could put his arms around Roddy, gently pulling him closer.  
  
Their tongues meshed together, playfully and passionately, retreating their tongues, disconnecting their mouths by inching their lips away bit by bit as Roddy almost held on to Ertegun's lower lip, they slowly pulled away to take a breath only to dive back into each other's mouths, this time, after Ertegun's tongue thoroughly explored Roddy's mouth, he followed the younger man's example, sucking onto his lower lip, then leaving a trail of hickeys down the middle of Roddy's neck, making a clearly visible mark right above the collarbone, showing that this person he held in his arms was taken.  
  
" Roddy, hold onto me." Ertegun took Roddy's hands off of his shaft and made him hold onto his shoulders.  
  
Ertegun's hand trailed down to Roddy's cock ring, slowly pulling it off of the throbbing erection.  
" Remember when you had to go out of town for a while? And right before you left, you put one of these on me..."  
" Hhnaaagh... Of course I do... It was right before... uuaahhh... that big business meeting you had.. t-to open a b...branch in Herschell... ahahhnggh....!"  
Inch by inch, the ring came off and Roddy's member throbbed ever the more intensely in Ertegun's hand.  
  
" How could I forget? I made that cock ring for you myself..."  
" Where is that little invention of yours right now?"  
" Dunno... I got rid of it... It couldn't handle you... It was damaged when you... Returned it..."  
" A cock ring that vibrates remotely from a far distance that can read how to bring the wearer to the edge and stop right before sensing ejaculation. Sounds like something there might be a market for."  
" Mngh!" Roddy gasped as Ertegun tightened his grip on him and started tugging.  
  
" You sure you don't want me to invest in that kind of product for you to start up? Maybe you can create your own line of sex toys."  
" No. Ah... This little hobby of mine is going to be just for us."  
The flat rejection didn't make Ertegun upset in the slightest when put that way, in fact, he felt a little warmth in his heart from that statement and smiled.  
  
" So, nobody is ever going to feel what I felt in that conference room."  
" That... ah... pleasure is for you ah...alone to remember."  
" It was so cruel of you to give me such an amazing thing when you had to be out of town. We could have enjoyed it together."  
" It was an ahhh...apology gift for my being ahh...away for a bit. Be...sides... Uhn! I... Couldn't help it... Ah..."  
Ertegun started stroking himself as well at the same time as he tugged onto his boyfriend's.  
" Didn't you... mmmfph... enjoy my little concoction anyway? It made phone sex all the more exciting."  
  
" Hahhh... Another prime example of... haah... what makes you fit to be ahhh... A power bottom..." Ertegun muttered between breaths, as his strokes increased in pressure. The faster the strokes got, the faster Roddy bounced off and onto the silicone toy inside him and the more he felt the chains that linked the clips on his nipples bounce and pull at those sensitive spots. His prostate, his nipples, his dick, all felt an electrifying stimulation that made his mind numb, only able to process the pleasure running through him, until Ertegun was able to make them both ejaculate at the same time, and to muffle their cries of intense release, they kissed, almost as if to devour each other as they gasped, in desperation for oxygen.  
  
" Er... Ertegun.... Ahhh... Promised..."  
" Yes, I promise you tomorrow... I'll do whatever you say... Anything."  
" Anything?" Roddy paused, looking into Ertegun's eyes with the most sincere and earnest look in his.  
  
" Absolutely anything...." Ertegun whispered as he gave Roddy a brief kiss on the lips.  
  
" If you hadn't promised me that, who knows what I'd have done to you tonight? I might've tied you up in your sleep and rode you against your will." Roddy declared, in an almost joking tone. Just _almost_ , though.  
  
" Roddy... I wouldn't be opposed to being _tied up by you_ if that's what you _really_ want. I wouldn't mind if you completely _dominated_ me." A little surprised at the older man's admission to his tendency of submission, Roddy had to make sure.  
  
" So, you really want to be dominated by me?"  
" Roddy, Roddy, Roddy... Haven't you figured it out? I love it when you initiate things. I love it when you're forceful. It turns me on when you take charge."  
" Wh-why is that?"  
" You see, Roddy... After all these years I've flirted with you... I always worried I made unwanted advances towards you and I was anxiously telling myself that I should stop and that I was being inappropriate. When you make moves on me, I'm relieved that you feel the same."  
" Is that it? You were worried this wasn't mutual? Ertegun, I've told you many times, haven't I? I really, _really_ love you."  
" I can't help it. On the bright side, I like hearing you say that you love me. It's very comforting. Keep reminding me that you do. Please, Roddy..." In response, Roddy kissed his cheek, caressing the other.  
  
" I love you, Ertegun." And in his gentle smile, Ertegun seemed as if he were on the verge of tears.  
  
" You know, for a while there, I thought you liked being submissive because you get a kick out of it for some kinky reason. Or, you know, that thing about powerful men wanting to be dominated in the bedroom..."  
" Can't it be all of the above?"  
" Huh?" Roddy paused and chuckled.  
  
" Of course, you perv."  
" However, even if I do want to be dominated by you..."  
  
Ertegun pinned Roddy down onto the couch and gave him another kiss, running a hand through the red hair that blocked the left side of his lover's face, combing it back with his fingers.  
  
" Tonight, I'll be taking care of you. We'll save all that other fun for tomorrow. We have all night with that box at our disposal. I'll do everything with those, but I want us to have our ' _first time_ ' after the interview tomorrow. Please, just bear with me, alright? I promise I'll make our first really special." Ertegun placed a kiss right above Roddy's left brow and he sighed.  
  
" Of course. I'll really try to be patient. I trust you, Ertegun. Besides... It is less than twenty four hours from now. I think I'll be fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference, I started writing this fic in January, chapters 1-6 took about four days to write on average and chapters 7 and 8 took a week or two, however, I started writing chapter 9 and 10 at the same time on February 16, and yes, I simultaneously wrote these two chapters, switching between them and re-read and edited them until I hated them for two months. I'm so done with chapter 9. It was hell to write. But I hope it's an enjoyable read for those who are in it for the smut!
> 
> To those in it for the plot, I'm currently working on the final chapter and editing the next two! Hang tight!
> 
> If I ever get the courage to, I might end up making a doujinshi of this. Or maybe just a Roddy × Ertegun doujinshi in general.


	10. Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The interview with Allen is here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: I HIGHLY recommend re-watching episode 17 before or after reading this chapter! Since its events intertwine with the fanfic.
> 
> This was very difficult to write because it was very dialogue heavy and required a lot of editing over the past two months. I'm sorry about that. Going back to writing like this is a pretty tough transition since I've been writing visual novel scripts for the past three years.

After fooling around all night until dawn, the two retreated to the bedroom and fell asleep in each other's arms in the pink glow of daybreak until the height of noon.  
  
They took their shower together and got dressed. Roddy had a stash of turtleneck sweaters and scarves in Ertegun's walk-in closet for days when his hickeys would be much too apparent, and Ertegun applied concealer on his neck, where Roddy left his markings. They both had brunch in the kitchen, prepared by the culinary AI before heading out.  
  
Both Roddy and Ertegun agreed that it would be best if he weren't at the studio while the interview went on.  
" He'd probably find a way to push you onto the stage." Ertegun reasoned.  
Roddy ended up driving Ertegun to the studio, while planning on parking a few blocks away, watching the live interview at a bar with Gus.  
" Remember, Ertegun... I'll be watching... So, stay strong, stay calm and... I believe in you."  
" That all went without saying, but it feels good to hear you say it." Ertegun leaned in to kiss Roddy tenderly, prolonging the kiss, holding his shoulder, as if to never let go.  
  
" You don't know, Roddy... Just how grateful I am to have the one I love say things like that to me."  
" Makes you feel like you can take over the world, doesn't it?"  
" Yeah. It does." Ertegun sighed as he took Roddy's hand, placing a another kiss right on his knuckles.  
  
" Remember, Roddy? How a kiss like this got us into this situation? I'm going to make the best out of a scenario that's less than ideal."  
  
  
  
___  
  
  
  
Roddy made his way to the bar where he was to meet up with Gus, Spencer, Carole and Tuesday. Since he had arrived first, he went to the bathroom to get some things out of the way.   
  
Luckily, the bar was as empty as he'd hoped, with the only other customers there being two women, he felt like he'd be safe and uninterrupted in the men's restroom. He took his denim jacket off, setting it onto the bathroom counter, atop his backpack, and lifted his sweater to his collarbone, exposing his stomach, along with the hickeys upon his chest and around his nipples. He flushed red as he looked at the markings in his reflection, feeling his nipples harden the more he stared, the more he remembered how they got there, the more the cool air hit his exposed chest, sending shivers into him caused by the thought of being caught in this position, even if he knew that was unlikely.   
  
The exhibitionist inside him made his lower part harden slightly and he had to shake it off, remembering why he had gone there in the first place. Roddy held the sweater up using his teeth and whipped out his phone, placing it high above him to take a selfie looking down on himself. He took his shot whilst he gazed into the lens as if they were Ertegun's seductive eyes, knowing he'd be looking at this photo later. He sent the message with the photo on a timer, setting it to be sent several minutes after _The Allen Show_ was scheduled to end.  
  
Roddy pulled his sweater back down and rummaged through his bag, finding a box kit with a pack of baby wipes and taking his stuff into a stall with him.  
  
 _Quick Enema Kit... it better be quick... Before anyone else gets here..._  
  
He opened up the box and started reading the instructions.  
  
  
___  
  
  
Ertegun walked into the studio alone, greeted by the studio crew who did touch-ups on his hair, offered to do his makeup and clipped a mic to his yellow suit jacket. He couldn't help but notice that all the people who did this were burly looking men around his age and that any younger staff kept their distance to him, especially the women.  
  
As he headed for the stage, he couldn't help but hear a whisper.  
  
" He'll basically do it with anyone, right?"  
  
It was gross and hurtful to hear, but he thought of Roddy's smile and gathered the courage to reply.  
" I only have eyes for one person in the entire universe and it's nobody in this building."   
The whisperers, who were obviously interns around the same age as Roddy himself, froze up and apologized to him. He couldn't tell if they were being sincere or not, because he was focused on staying calm.  
  
Ertegun walked out on stage, nearly strutting, as if he were doing a catwalk, and took a seat, facing Allen in the dark studio, obviously being that way because they were on commercial break and he was the last guest for the show's airtime for the day. Soon, the lights came on and Allen started an introduction to Ertegun and summarized the situation.  
  
" So, Ertegun. You're here because it has been revealed that you're dating someone. A guest we've had here recently, Roddy, who was rumored to be dating Tuesday Simmons, but is actually dating you. Although the public can't remember the last time you dated."  
" Last time I dated someone seriously... Probably before I was famous. That would explain it." Ertegun replied, unbeknownst to what was to come.  
  
" Do you know how old your lover, Roddy is? I mean, he must have been a baby last time you were on the dating scene."  
" _No_ , and age isn't a factor in our relationship. We're in love _despite_ it, _not because_ of it." Only one question in, and Ertegun could already feel the malicious intent of the man who invited him onto his turf. All he wanted to do was make Ertegun look bad for sensationalist ratings, outraged reactions from the audience, from the planet. The true star of the show was emotionally prepared, knowing that Roddy would be watching and on his side.  
  
" Is it not a bit strange that you are his employer? Many speculate that he doesn't have much of a _choice_ in the matter, actually _doesn't love_ you and that this relationship is merely an _abuse of your power_ over him." A three-in-one statement, it felt like an all-out attack to Ertegun's heart. He's definitely come across these ideas in his head and had already gone through the anxious feeling that those statements were what his relationship with Roddy was. In fact, he's confronted his boyfriend about these exact doubts in his mind before and remembered that Roddy already reasoned with him on the matter.  
  
" Power over _him_? Do I _actually_ have that?"  
" Yes, I mean, you _are_ his _employer_."  
" Wrong. I'm merely _one of his employers_. You're underestimating him. He's the one with power over me. He could leave me whenever he sees fit, completely high and dry, scrambling for a mediocre replacement, but hundreds of employers would drop to their knees begging _him_ to work for them. He _doesn't need me_ , he _chose me_ and I _need him_. I am still speaking professionally of course, even if that statement applies in more than one way. He is the most skilled programmer I've ever met in my life and I'm certain that I won't be able to meet anyone more skilled. Roddy is irreplaceable."  
  
" It seems like you really value this employee of yours. But I need to ask, what of the women you've seen in the past? What made you make the _switch_ to men?" This statement from Allen was met with a gaze of confusion from his guest clad in a golden suit.   
  
" Switch? What switch? Hold on, I hope you're not saying what I think you..."  
" You know, you are a known womanizer who's now dating a _young boy,_ so we'd all like to know how that happened. What's so _special_ about this _kid_?"  
This was a lousy attitude to adopt towards people like Ertegun and one that he was prepared to shut down.  
  
" First of all, let's get this thing clear: I have _always_ been into men. I have been bisexual this entire time and I actually have been sexually active with both sexes, even if nobody realized. I wasn't hiding it or anything, but I just so happen to attract more women than men."  
Ertegun said it in a stern manner, clearly showing he was offended.  
" I love attractive women. But I'm equally attracted to capable men who really know what they're doing when it comes to professionalism, among other things. And see, that's another thing you got wrong, I find _men_ attractive, not _young_ _boys_. Roddy isn't some _kid._ " He stated it in quite a moderately angry tone, taking great offense to the indirect accusation that he, all of a sudden, had a tendency to go for male children, of all things.  
  
" But, Ertegun, you see, I call him a _boy_ even if not technically accurate, but you got to admit at his age, people are quite inexperienced at most things in life..."   
" _Don't_ underestimate him." Ertegun interrupted.  
  
" He's not a little boy. He's pretty successful at what he does and he's shown maturity and professionalism that's rarely shown in people with tenfold more experience at twice his age."  
Allen showed a face that told he was feeling a little threatened, so Ertegun softened his furrowed eyebrows.  
  
" Anyways, that's not why I love him. It's why I'm _attracted_ to him, but... There's just so much more to him."  
  
" S-so, Ertegun. I wanted to know, why do you love each other? And what can you say to the audience at home about his _motivations_?" This line of questioning brought yet another very disgusted look upon his guest's handsome face, relinquishing the softer one he had purposefully tried to hold only mere seconds ago.  
  
" Motivations? You don't need to imply anything sinister, accuse as you will and I _will_ refute it."  
" Er... What's your response to people saying that he's a _clout chaser_ or a _gold digger_?" There it was. The question in everyone's minds. Or rather, not a question, but an assumption. It was the very thing any sane person would suspect, but not to Ertegun, who was madly in love. However, it seemed absurd to even fathom the idea of Roddy being _that way_ , not just to his lover, but to anyone who knew him.  
  
" If Roddy was a clout chaser, why does he purposefully stay out of the spotlight? Why did he work with me all those years, or with all those other celebrities for that matter, without asking for a single selfie, or even a single shout out or self promotion? He doesn't want to be famous." That was the blatant truth, although people like Allen aren't so eager to accept it as is.  
  
" Doesn't want to be famous? I don't understand. Then why work with celebrities at all? I'm sure nobody would be opposed to being rich and famous." Ertegun rubbed his forehead with a thumb and an index with circular motions. This guy was starting to give him a migraine with all the stupidity coming out of his mouth.  
  
" Roddy has always been perfectly happy doing work behind the scenes and helping others make a reality out of their vision. He doesn't care at all about that kind of stuff. As for the gold digger accusations... Do you know how many times I've had to push gifts onto him? He can barely accept anything at all most of the time. You should see how mad he gets at me when I pay for dinner. He doesn't like me buying stuff for him. He's just happy just spending time with me. He's definitely, a hundred percent... Not after my money."  
And all of a sudden, he said those last words with a smile on his face.  
  
" Do you know how many times he's just hung out with me before we were dating, unpaid? Or better yet, how about this..."  
Ertegun crossed his legs and sat back straight, looking nose down at Allen.  
  
" When I went bankrupt, and everyone; my staff, my managers, lawyers, accountants, just every single person I knew, even the people I had believed to consider my friends, abandoned me. I was broke, penniless, with nothing to pay anyone with. I wasn't his boss anymore. Just a homeless, broken man with nothing left, not even a soul."  
" That must've been hard for you to go through, but surely, describing yourself as _without a soul_ is a bit of a stretch, wouldn't you say?" For once, Ertegun met his statement with a neutral sort of eye contact and continued his story.  
  
" See, I had become a laughing stock. The media made fun of me. My fans probably lost faith in me, too, I felt like there was nobody left in the world who needed me, nobody left who thought anything good of me, nobody left who valued me, not even myself. I felt _completely_ and _utterly worthless_. My life had no value."  
There was a brief pause as Allen cocked his head slightly, confused, pondering, processing what he was hearing, which was the desolate despair in Ertegun's tone of voice and an eerie change in atmosphere that chilled him as he saw the famously egotistical playboy with his head down and with this grieving look on his face.  
  
" I didn't think it was worth living anymore. I seriously considered dying. That's how depressed I was." Ertegun's heartfelt confession was met with whispers and gasps from the live audience, and just then, did the audience feel the same chill the host of the show felt just seconds before.  
  
" You were going to kill yourself?" Allen asked, finally completely toning down his game show voice.  
  
" Probably. It was the darkest moment of my life where I'd genuinely wanted to disappear forever. I was so embarrassed of myself that I just wanted to die, and death occupied my mind more often than not. But I'm still here, aren't I?"  
He smiled brightly, throwing his hands up, like he often did. It looked so natural to him, he took it in such a light-hearted manner, yet this was very serious. He clearly wasn't lying either. This version of him was a strange fusion between his celebrity persona and his truest self.  
  
____  
  
  
" Roddy..." Gus muttered, turning to the man in the neighbouring barstool to his right.  
" ... I..." Roddy croaked, voice shuddering.  
  
Because Roddy's hair blocked that half of his face, it took Gus a few seconds to realize that Roddy was crying, only the sniffles and his hand clasping his mouth gave it away.  
  
Roddy turned to his left, facing Gus.  
" ... I... Re-really didn't know!" He uttered through his sobs and between his fingers.  
  
" He... Never told me..." Slowly, he turned back to the screen and gazed upon the face of the man he loved. Then, it occured to him that when Ertegun said he had something to tell him that he couldn't say to him face to face, something that he wanted to let Roddy know before progressing further in their relationship that was too difficult to say out loud even to the person he trusted most... He meant this. He was talking about his darkest moment.  
  
  
____  
  
  
" I'm here because of Roddy. When I had nothing left to lose or give, he was there, by my side. When I had been scammed and thrown out of my own home, he let me stay with him at his place, fed me... And he went above and beyond."  
" All that doesn't explain how you got back to where you were."   
  
" It was all Roddy. He helped me make music without all my fancy AI equipment that he usually manages by convincing a friend of his to lend me her keyboard... He convinced a girl who hated me to do that, can you believe it?!"  
" And who is this girl? Would it happen to be Carole by any chance?"  
" Yes, I am talking about her. I wouldn't be on good terms with Carole if it weren't for Roddy. Besides that, he even used his savings to buy me a new suit just like my old one to make me look and feel presentable."  
" So, after the repossession of your belongings, you didn't even have clothes left?"  
" Yeah. No more expensive suits. Some bots knocked at my door one morning to evict me and took everything. They only allowed me to wear a t-shirt, some boxers, shorts and flip flops before kicking me out and that's all I had left. Any other clothing I wore, Roddy even provided it for me over the next two months." He paused, almost just waiting for Allen to interrupt him this time, but he seemed to be well versed in his story at this moment.  
  
" Then, with his help, I made enough money to buy my house back and over the past few months, I've been making money to pay lawyers to help get all my assets back."  
  
" Roddy is beginning to sound like a true MVP."  
" That's exactly what he is, and not just to me. He's like that for a lot of people out there."   
  
" There's got to be more to it. I mean, that's a lot to be grateful for coming from a friend, but why do you _love_ him?"  
" Because I can be myself around him. And when I express my truest feelings, and by that, I mean the negative thoughts in the back of my mind, he says the right thing in just the right way and when he says it, I feel... _Complete_."  
  
___  
  
" He said... I make him feel _complete_...?" Roddy whispered to himself, hands trembling around his glass of Iced Tea.  
Tuesday walked up to the bar and patted him on the shoulder.  
  
" The way he speaks of you is very gentle. It's adorable. I could never have imagined a person like him having a side like that to him."  
" It's kind of embarassing..." Roddy muttered, curling up, slumped over the counter and blushing intensely.  
  
Tuesday started pressing buttons at the ordering menu on the counter and ordered some non-alcoholic beverages for herself and Carole.  
  
" Now I kind of feel bad for making you do that favour for me." Tuesday admitted, wrapping and twisting some blonde locks of her hair around her finger awkwardly.  
" Don't apologize for that. Really."   
The drinks she ordered arrived and she picked them up.  
  
" He's clearly very in love with you. I'm really happy for you, Roddy." He gazed upon her flustered face, thinking she looked almost envious. But strangely, not envious of Ertegun. There wasn't that sort of desire between them, especially since Tuesday had made it clear that Roddy wasn't her type.  
  
" Tuesday," he glanced at the table she was to return to, where Carole was sitting at with Spencer.  
" ...someday, I know, you'll be happy with someone in the same way."  
  
___  
  
" Roddy's the only one who sees the real me and the only one who can comfort that version of me. He makes me feel things nobody else can. He does it without any regard to my social status. He sees me as I am when I'm not in public: he sees me as a man, not a celebrity. He's genuinely interested in me as a person. And I enjoy discovering more about him every day." With that heartfelt speech, Ertegun took a soft breath after speaking so much and he had a dazed, enamoured look in his face as he smiled and closed his eyes, shying away at the things he had just said.  
  
" I had also planned a few questions to ask Roddy, but you've said he was unavailable to come to this interview." It took so little to provoke the DJ to turn his softened look back into the cocky persona, looking upon the host with an air of arrogance.  
  
" I lied. I answered for him. When I told him about it, he agreed with my decision and told me not to bring up the subject of him coming back here again. He was very upset by what happened here last time. You've hassled him enough last week over a girl he wasn't even dating. I didn't want to put him in a position to make him uncomfortable again. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I did?" He said in a stern manner, but this time, Allen didn't want to be shaken and provoked him further.  
  
" And speaking of positions... How do you feel about his previous partner? You are aware of who it is, right?"  
" Yes, I am. And all I have to say is that I feel the same way about _him_ the same way Roddy feels about _my_ previous partners. The same way anyone would feel about their soul mate's previous partners."  
" And what is that feeling?"  
" Jealous, of course. Jealous that... someone else had gotten to him before me. I feel kind of like he's bested me at something." Ertegun only hoped that the blatant honesty would help humanize him more because there was no bullshitting his way out of that question.  
  
" So, that something being getting into his pants? And while we're on this topic, how is your sex life with Roddy?"  
" Strange question. There's no need to be vulgar, Allen. Is that not a little too personal?" Ertegun reasoned, giving the host yet another displeased glare.  
  
" I've got to cover all the bases, and since this is an interview about a hot topic, we've just got to ask the most frequently asked questions of the public."  
" Really, now?" He asked, baffled and perplexed by the choice of words.  
  
" You're saying that _the public_ wants to know the specifics about what happens between me and _my_ boyfriend in bed?" There was no doubt that the retort was plastered with sarcasm and contempt, although it was only met with arduous persistence, piercing past that sarcastic front.  
  
" Well, yes? Dozens upon dozens of women who have slept with you made remarks on your _performance_ in bed and it's made people curious to see how you'd translate that into a same-sex relation..."  
" Well, they can use their imagination." Unsatisfied by this response, Allen made a hand gesture, a straight palm making a rotational movement at the wrist as if to say: " Yes, and? Go on."   
  
This was met with a facepalm from Ertegun, who did so to avoid rolling his eyes at the obnoxious man in front of spectators and felt the rings on his fingers cool his face as he pressed his hand hard against it.  
  
" Because you're so persistent, I'll only say that he and I are taking it slow and haven't had intercourse yet. That's all I'll say on the matter."  
" Well, I think people would like to know more of the specifics on what it is you do instead of what you don't..." Ertegun interrupted this with a hand signaling him to stop.  
  
" I said: that's all I'm saying on the matter. What happens between two consenting adults in a bedroom, or, well, any closed private space for that matter, is between them and them alone."  
" Consenting? Does it count if one of you is intoxicated?"  
" You're confused. Roddy was drunk when he had four very heavy drinks before kissing Simmons, nothing to do with me." He chuckled at Allen, thinking he was desperately trying to spin the conversation in a random direction.  
  
" Er... Well, what about when he drinks _with you_?" He scrambled desperately to latch onto an awkward topic as much as his mind could think of anything questionable Ertegun might do.  
  
" When he drinks with me, he's not drunk. In fact, he has quite the tolerance. It's just a bit of wine to go with a meal. Besides, Roddy initiates most of our sexual activities. Even if I feel like it, I won't do anything unless he shows me he wants to. I never force myself onto him, with or without alcohol, if that's what you're implying." It was a ridiculous question to Ertegun, obviously made to trap him into making him look like someone who took advantage of young, intoxicated people, however, manipulating Ertegun's words was much more difficult than doing this to Roddy.  
  
" R-right. Well, what of the other way around?"  
" Other way around? Am I hearing that right?"  
" Has he ever taken advantage of you when _you_ were intoxicated?"  
" I can't imagine how that could happen. I mean, my tolerance for alcohol is pretty high..."  
" What of other substances? Could you be taken advantage of then?"  
" _Why..._ would you ask _that_?"  
In response, Allen threw a mocking smirk as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
" Ertegun... Many celebrities like you have gone through drugs at least once in their lifetime. I'm sure you're no exception."  
" You're right, I'm not, but, come on, man. Are you insane? Have you seen us? Even if I were intoxicated, he couldn't exactly overpower me physically."  
" You'd be surprised."  
" Well, even if it were possible, nothing unpleasant like that happened between us."  
" Have you ever been intoxicated in front of him?"  
" Yes, however... Nothing happened."  
  
_____  
  
Spencer got up from his seat and walked over to Roddy's right side at the bar counter.  
  
" Hey, Roddy..." He whispered, as not to let Gus hear.  
" Did Ertegun lie just now? It kind of seemed like he was telling the truth, but from what you told me, right before you dated him..."  
" O-of course he wouldn't reveal that! Even if he's lying, I don't want him to say anything incriminating about himself..." Roddy took a sip of his lemonade, and with a blush across his face, he cleared his throat.  
  
" A-anyways! It's not like I didn't like it... I just wish he remembered it..." He admitted shyly.  
  
" If he doesn't remember... That's probably why it doesn't seem like he's lying... Plus it was a while back." Spencer reasoned.  
  
" I don't know, Spencer, something seems a little off when he said that _nothing happened_..."  
  
  
_____  
  
  
" What kind of drugs did you take back then?"  
" I used to do coke, MDMA and mostly sma-- er... or rather, Heroin. There was a stash of H in a hiding place no one knew about that I had kept for years, even if I stayed clean for a long while, I went back to it at some point in the past year." The notoriously arrogant DJ held his head down lower, for once, admitting his sins in shame instead of eager remorse.  
  
" When was that?"  
" I'd rather not say when exactly it occurred, but one of those times was back in October." As if he'd felt like something clicked in his brain, Allen widened his eyes in realization.  
  
" So when you spoke of suicidal thoughts earlier..."  
" You caught me." The great DJ threw up his hands in defeat. He didn't let it show, but he felt his heart and his head overheating. If it weren't for the makeup, his face would be glowing fuchsia right about now, so he was just hoping with all his willpower to not let the sweat affect the foundation.  
  
" I was going to use all my stash and let my body shut down on its own." He admitted plainly with no room for doubt and the utmost clarity.  
  
" Wait, you've mentioned being at Roddy's place during that time, is that..."  
" Truth is, even if he let me crash at his place, I had this awful feeling in the pit of my heart telling me that Roddy didn't actually care about me and that he was just doing all that for me because he's a nice guy with a conscience... And I was just trouble to him." It took Ertegun all his might to not tremble at the troublesome and painful memories of anxiousness.  
  
" But that's not true, is it?" Allen asked, now showing an adequate amount of sympathy in his expression.  
  
" Of course not. Have you ever tried telling someone with anorexia that they're not fat? Have you ever tried telling someone who was depressed to stop being sad? It doesn't help people with a mental illness to contradict their false beliefs when they're feeling down and to tell them that they have a mental illness and that they should get over it. In the state of mind I was at, nobody in the world could tell me that I wasn't worthless and that my life was worth living. Not even Roddy, the only person in the entire universe who gave a damn about me at that moment. Only one person could make me believe in myself and that was me."  
  
____  
  
" How could I have been so clueless about that?!" Roddy sobbed, clenching at his heart through his t-shirt, burying his face into his other hand for cover as he hid his face to weep.  
  
" Roddy..." Gus laid a hand on Roddy's back.  
" My boyfriend tried to kill himself when he was crashing at my old apartment... Just... what the hell..." Roddy shivered at that thought and pressed his sleeve into his eyelids to catch the flow of tears streaming out. The large man on his left let out a sigh before mustering up the courage to cheer him up.  
  
" People who feel those kinds of feelings, especially gaudy ones like your boyfriend over there... Are usually pretty good at masking and hiding how they really feel. That's just how they are. Don't beat yourself up for it. You're doing your best." The large father-figure patted his back firmly to comfort him as best he could.  
  
" H-hey... Take it from me. Tuesday was able to hide a lot of her feelings from me." Spencer tried to comfort Roddy with the only words he could come up with that can remotely make him sound relatable.  
  
" Of course, in my case, it was likely for lack of trying, but you were constantly by Ertegun's side and did everything you could. Just look at him. He truly appreciates all you've done for him."  
  
____  
  
  
" However, even I couldn't believe in me. What I went through was an internal struggle. I was between wanting to believe my past successes meant something and telling myself I had to give up on everything. That part won over. I went to get my stash that I hid at this laundromat. Then, the horse would carry me away."  
" Horse? So you took it while staying with Roddy. You tried to kill yourself when you were in his home? Did he not notice?"  
" I don't know. He probably didn't. I mean, I don't think he'd know too much about drugs anyhow. Why would he? There were some subtle signs I was using, though. Whenever I'd go to the bathroom, I would notice my face looking a little blue, but in the main room of Roddy's old apartment, where this happened, the light didn't work and the only lighting was a bluish light from his computer screens, so, he wouldn't have noticed that. Also, my muscle mass was off, I was scrawny and limp, I was nodding off and kind of out of it. Roddy would come back home at random to check if I was okay and..." For a moment, it seemed like he wiped away a tear and laughed at himself.  
  
" I felt frozen, I was probably about to drop to my knees and pass out any second, I was _seriously_ about to die... but at that moment, Roddy burst through the door and snapped me out of it. I was so high I couldn't speak up at first. It took me all my strength to answer him in that moment. And he didn't know that the sound of him opening that door, the sound of his voice asking me questions, the very act of checking up on me, _literally_ saved my life."  
Allen was rendered speechless for a few moments. He stuttered, trying to come up with another question.  
  
" D-does Roddy know the importance of what he did?" The stutters Allen muttered seemed to bumble out of his lips clumsily.  
  
" He does now. He's watching this. I didn't have the courage to tell it to his face."  
" Roddy is aware of your drug problem, isn't he?"  
  
" He knows. He's helped me out in another drug related incident besides the one where I almost killed myself. I can't believe I'm actually talking about this... I was actually clean for most of my thirties."  
  
" H-hold on... I don't know much about drugs, but..."  
Ertegun lifted his head and stared back at his interrogator.  
  
" About tolerance, you build that up the more you use, so hardcore users, like you imply you were, would need a larger dose to reach the same high, right? However, if a regular user stops taking it for a long time, that tolerance diminishes, and the same amount someone used to take..."  
  
" That can pretty much kill a former hardcore user. My body wasn't used to it anymore. It's a miracle I survived, really."  
  
" And Roddy was that miracle, wasn't he? What about that stuff you were saying about how you were the only one who could make you believe in yourself? Wouldn't you attribute that to Roddy?"  
  
" Now, when I said that I was the only one who could make me believe in myself... Let me explain what role Roddy had in that." He sat himself back and straightened his tie before continuing on.  
  
" Roddy pushed me to make music the same way I used to, without AI once again. When I saw that I was capable of doing that, everything clicked. It was my talent and reignited passion for music that showed me that I had a reason to live. Although, without Roddy to make me see my own potential, I'd have been lost. He not only saved my life, he's the light of my life, showing me the way, setting me on the right path."  
  
" Roddy seems like a very capable person."  
  
" The most capable man I know."  
  
" He seems to be quite a great person, but I have to ask... What of the video that's surfaced recently? Surely, both of you have heard of it. Or even seen it."  
  
" That. Well..."   
  
___   
  
" This is going to be a tough one."   
Roddy turned to his right to see Spencer, pondering, rubbing his chin as he stared up at the monitor, just as he had a few seconds ago.  
  
" Tougher than the other ones? I mean, he admitted to having a drug problem on live tv and after he made it look acceptable to date someone half his age. That's astounding enough as it is." Roddy downed his lemonade and ordered himself another Iced Tea.  
  
" Yes, that is a tough situation to handle, too, but I see where Spencer is concerned." Gus interjected, as he turned his seat towards the two younger men.  
  
" You see, if they talk about the video, it invalidates the first issue raised about the age gap and it provides cases other than yourself to accuse him of having tastes that are... _Too young_." Spencer said hesitantly.  
  
" Too _young_ is a polite way to put it!" Gus shouted as he downed a full mug of cola and slammed the empty mug onto the counter.  
  
" I'm sorry," Gus muttered, and Roddy couldn't tell if he was being sincere or said it out of obligation.  
  
" I can't stop being angry about it." He looked away from Roddy and Spencer, embarrassed at his outburst.  
Spencer chuckled in response. " You really treat Roddy and the girls like they're your own, huh, Gus?"  
  
" Yeah. At least, that's how I like to think of them." Gus said, as he pressed some buttons on the screen to get himself another soft drink.  
  
  
___  
  
  
" The accusations in it are pretty severe. How would you explain that behaviour?"  
" I could pick at each one, but long story short, I'm not that man anymore."  
  
" Describe that other man you were, if you will."  
  
" A man who never grew up past the age of twenty, so he never saw a problem with flirting with people of that age range. A party boy who wanted to stay young forever. A man who was handed everything by his rich father. An empty man who tried not to see how meaningless his accomplishments were when compared to his father's. A man who masked all his feelings of self-doubt with the illusion of narcissism. A man who drowned himself in sex and drugs because he wanted to forget that to live, he needed to let himself breathe. Roddy was my breath of fresh air." It was the corniest thing Ertegun could have possibly said at that moment, but it felt just right somehow.  
  
" A breath of fresh air, huh?"  
" He's the kind of person that brings eye-opening new ideas that bring me enlightenment. He's the one who made the hands of time start back up again for a man who's been stagnating."  
  
" Yes, although you may have felt that, remember, you are in your forties, so, that thing with Carole and Tuesday..."  
  
" I had no clue who they were at the time. Do you really think I'd know their ages and birthdays?"  
  
" You can't exactly say that same excuse when it comes to Angela. Everyone knows who she is and just about how old she is."  
  
" Look, about that, that's just my personality... Or rather, was." With a half-smile, he tried to brush the statement off as best he could.  
  
" I mean, seriously, back then, I'd pretty much flirt with just about anyone, I couldn't turn it off. I'm charismatic like that. I had an image to uphold."  
  
" As opposed to now? Because that's a lot of past tense you're using there. Would you say the bankruptcy period last fall is where we draw the line from the old you to the new you?"  
  
" Exactly. Although it's sort of more like a transitional period where I was trying to find myself... After all, I was off the grid for about two or three months."  
  
" And yet, you still asked her to sing that song of yours with all those _erotic_ lyrics."  
  
" I'll tell you what I told Roddy when he confronted me about this issue... Now, I wrote this song when I..."  
  
___  
  
" Hey Tues, he's talking about the song he wrote at our place, right?"  
" Yes, I think so."  
" Yo, Roddy! You knew all this time that he wrote that song for you?" Carole shouted from the table behind him.  
" N-not all this time! He only told me right after the video came out!" He replied, but trying not to shout while making his response audible enough for her to hear at a distance.  
  
 _He's saying it all over again. How he wrote it while thinking of me. How he only thought of handing the song to Angela as an afterthought. He really means it and it seems like Allen is taking it pretty well. Yeah. Ertegun is pretty convincing... This interview is the most sincere I've ever seen him in public. When he's being his usual arrogant self, it's when he's at work with other people and in the public eye, but now that I'm publicly his boyfriend... He becomes a lot more like the version of himself when he's alone with me, though only when he talks about me. He's really going off on a tangent again. It really is coming from the heart. I'm embarrassed that all he does is talk about how highly he thinks of me._  
  
" That boyfriend of yours..." Gus grumbled, sounding like he was about to complain again...  
  
" He's actually handling this pretty well."  
" You think so?" Roddy asked, in genuine curiosity.  
  
" Y-yeah. The guy won't shut up about you and he's pretty damn genuine about it. You can really tell, compared to his other interviews, that the key difference is his feelings for you."  
" Nothing that sounds slightly insincere? Or like someone could spin it to sound bad?"  
" Yeah, Roddy, Ertegun's not leaving many openings for doubt. He's really pulling through." Gus said, taking another gulp of Cola. Roddy's eyes trailed from Gus' large hands, wrapped around his oversized mug, to the TV, focused on Ertegun's face as he told of another anecdote about his song, telling how Roddy was his muse. This sent Roddy into a fuchsia blush, luckily, it could pass as him flushing from his Long Island Iced Tea.  
  
" Y'know, before, all he'd do was talk about himself, self promote and boast like he was actually trying to be the most self-absorbed narcissist possible. Now he's... Like this. It's kind of weird, but also really refreshing at the same time." Gus' tone sounded as if he had so much more respect and approval of the world renowned playboy as boyfriend material for the person he cared for like his own child, but his parental protectiveness wasn't completely shut off.  
  
Although even if he wasn't letting his guard down, it showed on his face, in the tenderness of his eyebrows, for lack of furrowing in disdain, that Gus believed in Ertegun and that he was a lot more willing now to trust Roddy in his hands.  
  
Roddy turned to his right, to the sound of Spencer's chuckles.  
" Wow, Roddy, he's really going at it."  
" What's so funny?"  
" The way he talks about you... Will really make anyone jealous."  
" Jealous how?"  
" In every sense. You'll be Mars' most wanted by the end of this program."  
" Again, what?"  
" Think about it, he's talking about how great you are as an employee, as a friend and as a boyfriend."  
Spencer turned to Roddy and smiled, coming closer to whisper in his ear.  
  
" I mean earlier... He said something that caught my attention... I mean, it's impossible to say it in a manner that doesn't sound vulgar, but it sounded like I'm still the last man you had in you..." The truth of the statement made Roddy flinch.  
  
" I mean seriously, you've been together practically three months... He's making me feel like I should've stolen you away while I had the chance."   
  
_He said it almost nonchalantly, with such a gentle smile on his face, almost seeming like a sad smile. I could feel my face heating up. Spencer wasn't flirting with me, now, was he?!_  
  
" Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to flirt or anything like that."  
  
 _He read my mind._  
  
" No. Spencer, I mean... It's not like you really had the chance... Actually, maybe you did... I don't know."  
  
" Of course. You were probably in love with Ertegun from the start, you only needed me to show you the truth. But if I were a lesser man..." He let out a small, hushed snicker at himself.  
  
" Just _if_..." He paused, gazing into his Margherita dreamily as he tipped the drink from side to side, stopping it from spilling from each side of the salted rim, he stopped before turning his head in Roddy's direction.  
  
" ...I'd have tried to make you fall for me instead. Now that Ertegun's explaining what he sees in you, I can totally see it, too." Roddy looked into Spencer's cyan eyes at that moment, then self-realization hit and he shook himself back to reality.  
  
" Sorry. I don't mean to make things awkward. What I meant to say is that you're really a catch. He's lucky to have you."  
  
" Spencer, I hope you're not..."  
  
" Don't you worry. I know better than to steal Ertegun's boyfriend. In fact, there's someone else I've been interested in for a few months now, you know."  
  
" Wait, seriously? Is it someone I know?"  
  
" Probably. Anyways, it's unlikely to happen, so just worry about yourself for now, alright?"  
  
" Sure, but, Spencer, if I can ever repay you for..."  
  
" I'd ask if I needed your help. Thanks, though."  
  
 _He sure brushed that off, but I don't blame him. If he's not ready to talk about that, I should probably respect that decision as his friend._   
  
  
___  
  
"... So really, my songs were all about Roddy all along."  
  
" Interesting. So, that's pretty much all the controversial stuff out of the way. Now, I have to come back to a topic we only slightly touched on earlier: how did you fall in love with him and how old was he at the time?"  
  
" It wasn't an instant thing, really. None of that _love at first sight_ fairytale stuff people love to fantasize about. I just grew to love him over the years we spent together. He was nineteen, I believe, when I started asking myself if I liked him as more than an employee or a friend. Of course, I resisted the idea because I knew it seemed inappropriate."  
  
" So, you've never acted upon those desires when he was a teen?"  
  
" No. Just a bit of flirting here and there, nothing major. I've invited him out as a friend several times, but it was as friends. Completely platonic."  
  
" So what would you say was your first big move on him?"  
  
" One day, after work, he was in my car, and I told him I loved him."  
  
" And then what happened?" Allen inquired, inching forward to the edge of his seat.  
  
" He said it back..."  
  
" Did you not consider the possibility that you put him on the spot like that? Made him feel obligated to say it back to you in that closed space---"  
  
" If you hadn't interrupted," Ertegun halted Allen as he did to him. " I was going to say that... He said it back to me, then _he_ kissed _me_." Wide-eyed, Allen sat back up straightening his back.  
  
" He had no obligation to do that."  
  
" What if he did it to convince you, so that he wouldn't jeopardize his job..."  
  
" You see, before he told me he loved me back, I told him he didn't need to say it back and that we could go back to work as if nothing happened. He did it anyways, and I, myself have considered the possibility that even if I gave him that option, he might have still felt forced, so, a little later on, that anxiety took over me, and I asked him if he felt forced, so I offered him a job with an acquaintance of mine with no association to any of the companies I own to replace his job working with me, at a higher salary with a contract completely in his favour, and he turned it down, and frankly," Ertegun paused, with a small chuckle at Allen's direction.  
  
" ... naturally, Roddy felt insulted that I had to go out of my way to find another job for him. Because he's perfectly capable of finding another one himself. He didn't care about the higher salary, he wanted to work _with me_ and didn't even ask for a raise. His being with me right now is of his own free will, with nothing tying him down."  
  
" Nothing? Not even a contract?"  
  
" Not even that. For all the years I've known him, I just call him into work by appointment. He could have just ghosted me if my flirting made him uncomfortable, but he never did. He even checked up on me when I didn't ask because he's just a good person. He genuinely liked me. And now, we're in love."  
With that note off his chest, Ertegun's tense shoulders loosened a bit and he sat back, relaxed for the first time in this interview.  
  
" Well, that's all the time we have today. Thank you, Ertegun, for this lovely interview."  
With audience applause, the studio lights dimmed and as a few minutes passed, the audience funneled out of the room.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of character analysis for Ertegun here. All theory, speculation and just a little bit of headcanon to go with this storyline. Although, being bisexual myself, there is just a bit of self-projection in his words about bisexuality. I adore Ertegun to bits for more reasons than just the sexuality representation. ♥️


	11. Not Afraid To Live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the interview with Allen, Roddy decides he needs to have a serious talk with Ertegun about his mental health before their date, on which Ertegun has promised to do whatever Roddy wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you've rewatched episode 17 before reading! Get ready for a cute date chapter. Or at least, I tried.
> 
> WARNING: It gets kinky.
> 
> I don't like fanfic plots with OCs, so any minor OCs I have in this story, I tried not to give them names like the pharmacy owner and tailor in chapter 2 and the shop/restaurant staff in any chapter. That's why I used Allen from episode 13 instead of making up a guy.
> 
> I've also wanted to not go OOC, but I'm afraid it's going to get OOC from here, so, sorry about that!

  
  
Ertegun and Allen headed backstage, Ertegun walked faster, but Allen caught up to him and caught him by the shoulder.  
  
" Excuse me, Ertegun, I still have questions about Roddy's absence, but I couldn't ask it again on camera. Didn't want to seem redundant..." Ertegun turned to Allen and gave him a stern look.  
  
" This was me explaining my side of the story. I may have said that my relationship with Roddy is completely genuine, but neither of us need anyone's approval. I didn't come here expecting you or your audience to believe me. I just thought I had the right to tell my side. We just want to be with each other and that's it." He furrowed his brows slightly, giving him just the smallest indications signalling his desire to leave.  
  
" And what of Roddy? Couldn't you _allow_ him to be here to tell _his_ side? Did you have the right to _control_ him like that? You're not the boy's father!"  
  
" _Allow_ him? Look, I may have turned down your offer for him, but I told him about it immediately and he agreed. What you did to him was humiliating." He peeled Allen's hand off of his shoulder, or rather swatted it away.  
  
" Also, I'm well aware that I'm not his father, and he's _not a child_. The implications of such an accusation is disgusting. We've been through this during the interview. Roddy is a grown man and he could have overpowered my decision for him by showing up here. I mean, after all, he did drop me off at this studio."  
  
" H-he was here?!"  
  
" Of course he was. He's always by my side before any public appearance. I told you, didn't I? Shouldn't you pay attention to what your guests say?"  
As Ertegun turned away, he heard just barely audible mutters from the man he showed his back to.  
  
" If you want me to listen to you, you'll need to speak up." He shouted at Allen, who was silent. He was giving the man a little time limit in his head before allowing himself to walk away.  
  
" The perverse things you do to that boy... I've seen it."  
  
" Oh. So you've been in contact with my blackmailer."   
  
Another awkward pause, the silence spoke volumes.  
  
Ertegun clicked his tongue cockily and shook his head, rubbing at his forehead with his fingers.  
  
" Of course you have. And he probably sent you some questions to ask me to corner me. That's why your interrogations were all over the place."  
  
" I didn't know what to do when you answered things before I got to them."  
  
"Then, you're not very good at your job, now, are you, Allen?"  
  
" The sex tape I have... I can release it..."  
  
 _Beep. Beep.  
_  
" Hold on, I've got an e-mail, you'll want to hear this." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and smirked upon a single glance at the screen, allowing himself to read what he laid eyes upon out loud.  
  
" It's my lawyer:  
  
 _Good afternoon, Mr. J. Ertegun,  
  
You'll be pleased to know that a warrant for Aaron's arrest has been written up and the police are making their way to his place of residence as I'm writing you this notice. If any remnants of the footage he's acquired from your private residence has been distributed, anyone in possession of if may be subject to legal consequences as well..._   
  
Blah, blah, yadah, yadah, end notes, best regards, his office address and signature, you get the gist." With all his machismo, he spun around and shoved his phone into Allen's face to show him the e-mail.  
  
"Allen, not only is the video in your possession more incriminating to you than it is to me, being a video of two adults having consensual fun, but what you did to Roddy was essentially harassment. You were bullying a guest on your show. He was shaken by it and you make him uncomfortable. It's understandable that he'd never want to speak to you again."   
  
_Beep. Beep_.  
  
" Er... He's sent you a text." Allen said as he flushed red and looked away from the phone.  
  
 _I'm coming to pick you up. Can't wait for you to fulfill your promise. I'm impatient <3 [ **PHOTO ATTACHMENT** ]  
_  
Ertegun pulled away and looked at the message blankly, then moved his eyes up to Allen's direction menacingly.  
  
" Man... if I could pour bleach into _your eyes_..." Allen flinched at the grumbles of his sharp-tongued guest, feeling like the diva-esque DJ had just suddenly turned into a sort of mobster about to whack a man who cucked him.  
  
"H-hey! I didn't see it! I didn't open the message!"  
  
" Anyways, if you were threatening to release the footage, you're aware of the kind of consequences that can happen to you. And if someone other than you has the footage and releases it, you'd still be the primary suspect with the video in your possession, well, as the only other known person to have it." He said as he slipped his phone into his left pocket, and turned to walk away.  
  
" But I can't control what anyone else who might have it does!" Allen shouted, sweating bullets.  
  
" You should have thought of that before bragging about what you have. Be grateful you at least have a warning."  
  
" Ertegun, I can risk it all anyways and show..."  
  
" Consider yourself warned, Allen."  
  
There was a cold tone in Ertegun's voice that shot through Allen's entire body, chilling him to his spine. It seemed as if Ertegun's personality was split three ways between different modes: the flamboyant, the lovestruck, and the one standing before him who emanates a threatening aura. He could do nothing but watch him walk away.  
  
  
___  
  
  
The red convertible pulled over outside the studio building. Roddy took a deep breath and drummed his fingers into the wheel before looking out to see if Ertegun was out there.  
  
Across the street, he saw the love of his life, bathed in the gentle glow of the Martian sunset, his obnoxiously bright golden suit glimmering in the light, he was gazing at his phone intently, with a soft smile on his face, up until the moment Roddy pressed the car horn at him to get his attention. Ertegun shoved his phone into his pocket and ran up to the driver's side of the red convertible, and the second he opened the door, Roddy jumped out, wrapping the taller man in his arms, resting his face in his neck.  
  
Ertegun wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's slender frame and felt like he was going to melt in his embrace. After asking each other if they were alright, Roddy making sure that Ertegun was unharmed by the events that had just transpired, and in turn, Ertegun desperately trying to confirm that Roddy was unaffected by what he had just seen.  
Foreheads against one another, Ertegun awaited an answer as he looked Roddy in the eyes, and saw tears forming.  
  
" You're not okay with what just happened, are you?" Ertegun asked.  
  
" Ertegun..."  
Roddy whispered, held his breath and gasped into a sob, pulling away and rubbing his tear-drenched eyelids into Ertegun's shoulder.  
  
" I had no idea I could have lost you!" He sobbed into his shoulder, gripping at his clothes, as if those were the ropes in a tug of war between himself and death.  
  
 _That's what Ertegun meant. He's stirred me up with so many mixed emotions. As much as I lust for him, as much as I want to kiss him, as much as I want to pin him down and have him make love to me, there's this horrible, piercing feeling in my heart, trapping me in between my desire and my sorrow._  
  
" Now you know what I meant to tell you. I couldn't bear to say it to your face. Could you ever forgive me, Roddy?"  
  
No answer came from him, as he muffled his sobs into the shoulder he cried on.  
  
Ertegun picked Roddy up in his arms and crouched down, bringing him into the car and closing the door. He was in the driver's seat with Roddy on his lap, arms wrapped around him, still sobbing softly.  
  
" You can cry on my shoulder forever, but I still need you to talk to me. Please..."  
  
He took Roddy by his chin and pressed his lips onto those that quivered between sobs.  
As if by magic, his lips steadied and a rush of warmth ran through Roddy's body, just a simple kiss from the man he loved was something akin to a cure-all to soothe his aching heart.  
  
The sweet, innocent and wholesome kiss was all it took to get Roddy to stop crying.  
  
" You... Took drugs when you were at my old apartment... And you almost died there," he murmured hesitantly "...you were going to die in _my home_. Did you have feelings for me when you tried to do that?"  
Ertegun sighed and held Roddy tighter, as if his answer was about to make him let go, however, Roddy made it clear time and again that he would never leave him for whatever reason, but it didn't erase the anxiety and self doubt in his heart, the inner voice telling him that he didn't deserve Roddy.  
  
" I was still figuring things out. I didn't know if I... It was really after Cydonia last year that I realized and _accepted_ that I was in love with you."  
  
 _It's taking all the strength in me to not lash out at him. From the bottom of my heart, I want to yell at him. I want to shout: " if you cared about me, you should never have tried to leave your corpse there for me to find!"  
  
Honestly, it would have scarred me for life to find him dead in my home. I don't know of any signs of overdose. I didn't catch on, plus I wouldn't have guessed it if I did ever find his... body...  
_  
 _Ertegun... Dead... In my home... I can picture it... His pasty... Pale blue body... Face down... Limp... Unmoving... Still... Cold... no more touches... no voice to call my name... no more sparks in those eyes that always gazed at me with firery passion, just deathly blank eyes... The thought of him DEAD just pulls at my arteries, at my heartstrings, and it PHYSICALLY hurts to imagine such a grotesque scene. I'd have been heartbroken without ever even figuring out why. It tears me apart thinking of him in such a state. To think we were so close to never becoming the way we are now._  
  
" You didn't realize you loved me then, so it wouldn't have mattered if I did..."  
  
" Don't say that!" Roddy shouted, digging his fingers into the man's shoulders, trembling at his emotional state and letting his awareness of his uneven heartbeat sink in.  
  
" We weren't dating back then, but... Believe me... It would have torn me to pieces if you had died. I cared about you so much! And I still do..." He paused, trying to even out his breaths, holding back some sobs, but letting more tears flow out.  
  
" Ertegun... You... Need help... A therapist, antidepressants, _something_... More than just me. If I didn't come home at that time and snapped you out if it... If I were too late... We never would have gotten together."  
  
" But we're together, now, Roddy. The past couple months have been amazing... It's okay, now..."  
  
" It's not okay!" He snapped back, frustrated.  
  
" What if you have a really bad day and I can't convince you to come out of a dark place?! What if I end up losing you anyways?! I'm scared! I'm so afraid of losing you!"  
  
Ertegun took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, he knew that Roddy would always be there for him, but there may come a time where Roddy also has a bad day, when he may, as he ever so rarely does, feel unfocused just because he was having an off day and by pure misfortune, he wouldn't know what to do at the moment for Ertegun. It was very easy to Ertegun to forget that Roddy was human, too and that he consequently, wasn't perfect. He started moving in for a kiss to calm Roddy down.  
  
He knew he was right. Roddy was _always_ right. Even if Roddy knew what to tell him to make him feel better all over again, Ertegun has now publicly acknowledged that not only did he have depression and anxiety inducing self esteem issues, he had made an attempt on his life. He's even admitted to Roddy that he had gone on a bender in an attempt at self-harm, physically scarring himself in the process. He couldn't hide from his problems anymore under the guise of "Roddy will make it all better" because the reality is that he won't always be there, because Ertegun was half his life and in that other half, Roddy had other jobs, plus his own social life, and after everything Roddy had done for him, it was about time that he did something to make it easier for him.  
  
" Well, Roddy... I did make you a promise. It's not what I expected, but I need to do whatever you say."  
  
Ertegun pulled his phone out of his left pocket and went through his e-mail contacts, found who he was looking for and started writing an e-mail. In just a minute he wrote out an e-mail and showed it to Roddy.  
  
  
 _Good evening, Dr. Reichwein,  
  
I know it's been a decade since I last saw you, but I'd like to set up an appointment with you for consultation and start having regular sessions with you again.  
  
Sincerely, J. Ertegun_.  
  
  
" What do you think, Roddy?" He asked, almost like when he asks him " _how do I look_?" before any public appearance. The ends of his lips curled up slightly and he gave Ertegun a kiss on his cheekbone.  
  
" I think you should press send."  
  
Their fingers intertwined and they held each other tightly as Ertegun hovered his left thumb over the "send" button, pressing it, and letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in before putting away his phone.  
  
" Roddy... I really do need you. I couldn't have done that without you."  
  
" Of course not... Now, let's go on a date. You did say we'd do everything I wanted tonight, right?"  
  
" Of course. Where shall we go?"  
  
" Let's do... Something fancy and romantic for dinner, your choice, but it has to be something light to leave room for dessert. We should go shopping after dinner, then, I want to grab some ice cream cake after."  
  
Roddy moved off of Ertegun's lap and got into the passenger seat and they both buckled up before driving off.  
  
They arrived at a classy French restaurant situated at the top of a skyscraper, an elevator led the two up the tower, to the peak floor that had a spherical shape, the dining tables placed along the rim of the structure and the kitchen, staff area and bathroom placed around the elevator along with a bar.  
  
Ertegun being, well, _Ertegun_ , strolled in without a reservation in the normally reservation-only type of establishment, requesting a seating. Luckily, the pair was greeted by the manager of the restaurant, who not only was a fan of Ertegun, but was a former alcoholic who sympathized with him and his struggle with drug addiction after seeing his interview earlier in the afternoon, so he and Roddy were seated right away.  
  
They were immidiately served with some red wine with garlic bread, and for the first dish, the two ordered a venison dish with cassis and chestnut sauce. It was the smallest ever portion of meat Roddy ever had, and it left quite an impression. The flavouring was divine and it set the standards for the next dishes to come. They shared something Ertegun seemingly accurately (and confidently) pronounced as "Boeuf Bourguignon", a sort of Beef stew followed by a strange looking cake with a tall tower of mocha coloured cream piped onto the top of it, a Mont Blanc, he said it was. They didn't share this, but each had their own.   
  
As manly and muscular as he was, contrary to what his appearance suggests, the famous DJ adored cake and on dates with his little sound tech., he often enjoyed showing him all sorts of cakes and pastries he loved, usually of the obscure gourmet variety, but he also had no qualms eating box mix from a normal grocery store. It was just more fun to go out to eat cakes with the person he loves.  
  
On their way out of the restaurant, the pair bickered over whether or not they should split the bill. Ertegun argued that it was his treat since he had promised to do whatever he wanted that day and Roddy responded by telling him he wanted to split the bill. However, Roddy reluctantly settled for only paying the tip when he found out that half the bill was the equivalent of over a week's worth of salary for all the jobs he had at the moment combined.  
  
As they walked back to their parking spot, Roddy was blushing madly and had his arms crossed and his lips pursed, he was definitely salty about what had just happened. Ertegun chuckled at his facial expression and wrapped his right arm around him.  
" You're cute even when you're mad."  
" Sh.. shut up."  
" I'm sorry, sorry... what I really meant to say was... you're cute _especially_ when you're mad." He laughed as Roddy sighed, deflating his face to an exhausted look.  
  
" Hey, you don't have to be _that_ upset about it."  
" It... I think it's really embarrassing when you... Pay for stuff... For me..."  
Ertegun cocked an eyebrow and grinned, suppressing laughter.  
  
" I know I can't just tell you to not be embarrassed, but... You know I am aware... That you love me and you're not using me. You just work so many jobs, you know." And there was a hint of disappointment in Ertegun's voice.   
  
The day before, Roddy was at work on the other side of town, helping out Beth at the Mars Lounge and then went to Ertegun's after hanging out with his friends. Today was his day off, but tomorrow he had to go to work on the AI Idol project, which Aaron had apparently been suspended from according to an e-mail from the employer. He indeed spent way too much time working. They stopped walking right in front of the car and the taller of the two leaned in to press a kiss into the shorter one's ear.  
  
" Roddy... I know it's not healthy, but... Sometimes, I wish you'd cut down on work and let me have you all to myself. I wish I could just spoil you rotten and make sure you're completely _mine._ " The whisper in Roddy's ear gave him hot and cold goosebumps. With a gentle exhale, he replied, " Let's... Continue this inside..."  
He reached behind and opened the car door to get inside, Ertegun did the same by going around the car to get into the driver's seat.  
  
" The only reason I don't ask you to do that is because I know it wouldn't make you happy."  
" I'm... glad you can respect that."  
" Still, Roddy... I wouldn't mind being your sugar da..."  
" Nope!" He interrupted, hastily, " don't finish that word or it'll be real!" He had just realized that he had placed a hand over his boyfriend's mouth to stop him from saying that word. Upon releasing him, he showered him with a barrage of apologies that Ertegun couldn't help but smile lovingly at.  
Ertegun started removing his suit jacket, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his vest and shirt when Roddy flushed red.  
  
" H-hey! What are you doing that for?!"  
" You said you wanted to go shopping after dinner..I can't possibly go dressed like this at the places you like to shop at. Get me my spare shirt, alright?" Roddy calmed himself down and opened the glove compartment to take out what what a long-sleeved version of his signature t-shirt. For months, Ertegun had been putting off his tattoo appointment and still had scars of track marks on his arm along with what seemed to be cut marks near his left wrist, he never realized they were cuts.   
  
At the time of his bender, he had applied a spray on wound seal that masked it in a sort of skin coloured film that made it look like an old burn. Now, healed, they were visibly hesitant little cuts, where several attempts had been made, or rather, just cuts for the purpose of hurting himself.  
  
Ertegun had placed his shirt, tie and jacket to hang onto the back of the seat and as he reached for the shirt Roddy was holding, his wrist was caught by one of his lover's delicate hands. Roddy examined Ertegun's forearm and kissed his scars, down to his wrist.  
  
" Would you like to go get a tattoo tonight?" Roddy asked, gazing into Ertegun's eyes.  
  
" I thought we were getting you something."  
  
" I thought we were doing what I wanted tonight." Ertegun couldn't help but chuckle at one of Roddy's retorts, which never failed to charm him.  
  
" Although," Roddy added, " I do want to get something else later. But for now, choose a tattoo shop we can go to. Maybe... I'll even get a matching one if you pick something cool."  
  
" Well, there's this person I know who did work on a lot of musicians I worked with. I'll ask if she's available." He looked up the parlour on his phone to call the shop, and the receptionist informed him that they could immediately take a walk-in.  
  
As he fiddled with the GPS, Roddy looked at him with wide eyes and Ertegun immediately figured out that he was having a jealous fit in his head.  
  
" Don't worry, Roddy. She's not a woman I was seeing in _that way_. She's been happily married since before I met her. Really." This information came with a sigh of relief from Roddy as Ertegun took his shirt out of his hands to put it on.  
  
They made their way to the tattoo parlour where they were greeted by a large, bulky male receptionist who looked very much like a stereotypical gay bear, dressed like he was just about ready to attend a punk rock concert. His neck was covered in tattoos, up to his black stubble.  
  
The tattoo artist of the shop was a pale and petite woman with fluffy waist lenght cotton candy pink hair, wearing a white floral sundress, who looked to be in her mid-twenties, although she was obviously much older because she was definitely the old acquaintance Ertegun spoke of earlier. Although very girly looking, her arms and legs were covered in light floral tattoos that blended into her skin much like a garden.  
  
" So, Ertegun, I saw your interview earlier. This the boyfriend in question, is it?" She asked nonchalantly as she started drawing onto his arm.  
  
" Yeah. He is. Cute isn't he?"  
  
" Well, of course. Plus I know he's more than just a pretty face... You never used to have marks. When you said you _used_ in your interview, I assumed you went back to snorting, among other methods." She was working fast, but made some surprisingly steady, firm and perfect lines.  
  
" Yeah, well, you know me, I'm impulsive like that."  
  
" You used to be more careful, John."   
  
" Ooh... don't call me John. I hate that name."  
  
" Well, you deserve it." She replied, glancing passive aggressively at him, but not in an accusing manner, but in the spirit of worrying for an old friend.  
  
" You now have someone you love as much as I love my wife. Don't screw it up. Got it?" She lectured him kind of like an older sister would, which rendered Roddy extremely curious as to how old this woman actually was, but he never dared ask.  
  
She spent the next couple hours catching up with Ertegun and making small talk with Roddy while doing needle work on them. By the end of the night, the two left with cooling patches over their tattoos, something that most of the tattoo places on Mars had for the quickest and most painless recovery after a tattoo, unlike the wraps on Earth. Roddy's covered his right wrist kind of like a sweatband for athletes or joggers and Ertegun had one that completely coated his left forearm.  
  
" Anywhere else you'd like to go? I mean, you couldn't have meant _matching tattoos_ when you said you wanted to go _shopping._ "  
" Yeah... I need to replace my hard drive at home. We're heading to the computer shop."  
  
This time, when he offered to pay, Ertegun resisted very little to Roddy's protests and let him do it himself. When he finished paying, he slipped the small box into his pocket.  
  
" I'd have gotten you a hundred hard drives tonight if you'd let me..." Ertegun said as he walked out of the shop, hand in hand with Roddy.  
  
" There's a dirty joke somewhere in there, but I'll let it slide." He looked around the avenue they walked along and couldn't help but notice people staring at them, whispering, grinning, frowning, pointing at them. It was really strange, but it was really sinking in that they were truly a couple in the public eye now. It was difficult to discern whether people stared because they were famous or because of the age difference. Probably both, considering what had occurred that day.  
  
Roddy came to a stop and wrapped his arms around Ertegun's right arm, groaning, struggling to say something.  
" H-here..."  
Ertegun looked upon Roddy's pink face and turned to see a sex shop. It seemed very much marketed at queer clientele and was overwhelmed with black and pink decor.   
" Roddy, the longer you stand outside, the more you draw attention to yourself, so it's best to go in as quickly as you can." He pretty much dragged the smaller man into the shop at this point.  
  
Although they had played around with many items during their nights together, Roddy had never actually been to a sex shop before, let alone with his boyfriend. The only things he ever used were what Ertegun bought him or what he himself had ordered online.  
  
They started by browsing through an aisle of condoms, lubricants and aphrodisiacs to start and piled things up into a shopping basket. Ertegun threw in some textured condoms and warming lubricant while Roddy threw in a massage oil that doubled as an aphrodisiac.   
  
As minutes passed and Roddy seemed to get more comfortable standing around the store, Ertegun led him to a section of toys marketed towards men. There, Roddy saw a lot of similar things to what he and Ertegun usually used. There was a remote control vibrating anal plug that Roddy seemed to like, but hesitated to pick up. Ertegun chuckled and took it off the rack it hung on as Roddy stared intently at it.  
  
" Don't act like you've never touched one of these before." He smirked as he dropped it into the basket.  
  
" Well... Not that kind specifically..." Roddy spoke softly, as he looked around and saw a few people glancing at his direction. There was another gay couple in the shop and a group of three friends in another corner of the place glancing in his direction.  
  
He looked back at Ertegun and unknowingly started twirling his hair.  
" I-Is there something else you want here? There's another section I'd like to check out..."  
" No. I'm done here if you are. We can always come back later. Lead the way."  
Roddy walked by a costumes area and Ertegun stopped.  
  
" Hold on, I'll pick up some things here."  
" Wh... Re-really?!" Roddy blushed as he saw Ertegun throw in some things too quickly to tell what they were. He just knew that he picked up some kinky underwear among many things.  
  
To Ertegun's surprise, Roddy had walked up to a section of the store filled with bondage type items.  
  
" Wow, Roddy. I didn't think you were the type to like this kind of stuff." He set the basket onto the floor and stood next to the smaller man, who was embarassed to be there and curling up onto himself, slouching, making himself look much tinier in the process.  
  
" Well, I didn't think so either... Until last night."   
" So, you've been thinking about what I said?"  
" Of course I have." Roddy clung onto Ertegun again, hooking his left arm around Ertegun's right.  
  
" We don't have to do all of it tonight if you don't want to, we can just hang onto some stuff until you feel like it." Roddy said, almost whispering.  
  
" Funny, I was just going to tell you the same thing."  
Ertegun picked up a black leather rod with a spatula shaped end, bringing it up to Roddy's cheek, tracing his jawline and holding his chin on the tip, finally getting Roddy to look up at him and make eye contact.  
  
" I can picture you using one of these on me." Ertegun whispered in a sultry voice, much more seductive than usual.  
Roddy hesitantly ran his fingers down the shaft of it, merely grazing it before taking it off of Ertegun's hand to drop the flog into the basket.  
" I'll do it, then..." He said as he turned back to the aisle of BDSM accessories.  
  
Roddy started adding leather straps into the basket, along with clamps, rope and even a chain. There was a hidden enthusiasm underneath the glow of his blushing face that Ertegun could see right through.  
  
" I... I think I've overdone it... We should go." Roddy stuttered, again, averting himself from the emerald green eyes that made him melt when he gazed too long into them.  
  
" Roddy, you forgot something." Ertegun reached for a pair of handcuffs with fuchsia pink fuzz wrapped around the cuffs, making Roddy's light blush turn as bright as the fuzz.  
  
" This," he dropped the handcuffs into the basket and his hands hovered over the rack, " ...and one more thing..." He reached for a purple ball gag and took it down, showing it to Roddy by placing it in front of his own mouth.  
" So, Roddy? Are you tempted to put this on me?"  
" But, Ertegun... If I do that, you won't be able to say a safe word..."  
" What if that's the point?" His mischievous smirk got Roddy's mind racing in all directions.   
He chuckled and put it into the basket, taking one last glance over the aisle, and something caught his eye.  
  
" Roddy, what do you think about using this on me?" He handed him a box of plain-looking candlesticks of assorted colours, which Roddy blankly examined.  
  
" Why are these here? Shouldn't they be with the other aphrodisiac candles?"  
  
" That's because they're not... Do you not know what these are for?" Ertegun asked, as Roddy almost immediately shook his head, looking back at his face, wide-eyed and confused as to what these candles were for. Ertegun merely chuckled and leaned in to Roddy's ear to whisper how to use these on him. To which he responded by gasping, holding onto Ertegun tighter and his flustered face heated up so much he was feverish to a near boiling point.  
  
" I-If you re-really want to u-use it... uh... I th-think I... I'd like to see how you'd react to it... _Maybe_."  
 _  
I can't tell him... How tempted I am to see him writhe in painful pleasure beneath me. I had a feeling Ertegun wanted to do a lot of things to be submissive, but this..._  
  
Roddy tried to swat away the filthy thoughts and his desire to be a dom, to be something that was so opposite to his normal shy and reserved nature was a new, exciting and arousing concept to him, but as erotic as it was with all the fantasies swimming through his mind, he didn't want to pitch a tent here of all places, or he wouldn't be able to contain himself from jumping Ertegun in the middle of the store.  
  
Roddy took the box from Ertegun and dropped it into the pile of stuff overflowing the basket, then grabbed a second box before heading towards the payment counter. Surprised that Roddy would grab extras of something he had only just found out how to use, he was pleased by the enthusiasm and picked up an extra bottle of lube on the way to the front.   
  
After setting the box of candles onto the counter, Ertegun put the shopping basket full of stuff into it as well whilst Roddy kept his back turned to the cashier. He then saw a pair of girls staring at them, at first, worried they were checking out Ertegun, but soon realized that the two were holding hands and were actually a couple, as well.  
  
The androgynous looking cashier rang up everything pretty quickly and asked Ertegun for an autograph, to which he agreed to give. They left the store carrying three black paper bags full of stuff, and one of the bags had wrapping paper on a long object sticking out of it, since that was the whip they had picked up earlier. Ertegun carried a bag on each hand and Roddy had his arms wrapped around the biggest bag, pressed to his stomach and the rod rested against his shoulder.   
  
They walked back to the car and dropped their stuff off before heading off to buy some ice cream cake, bringing back two boxes of a single serving of cake to eat in the convertible, driving off to eat somewhere in private, away from prying eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Nearing the end huh? Get ready for smut and an epilogue!


	12. Give Me New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The climax of the date. Pun intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ertegun only had three songs throughout the series. I wanted to throw some into discussion during the date, but there was so little. I've been writing a lot while listening to DJ banvox's music. He's the guy who created "Who Am I? The Greatest" and "Take Me Now" for the show, so I looked to his music for inspiration and ended up inserting references to it as "Ertegun's music", I recommend a listen to it!

  
They drove off together and once they arrived somewhere on the outskirts, across the bridge, at an area that had a beautiful view of the city from a distance, they settled down.   
  
Roddy opened up his box and even if it was a frozen dessert, he could smell the sweet and sour aroma of the lemon curd ice cream cake, glazed with lemon liquor. Ertegun opened his box. What was inside was much akin to a New York style cheesecake, but with an extra layer of sweet cream cheese ice cream blended with strawberry jam and garnished with strawberries on top.   
  
They both started eating and even stole bites from one another while listening to some of Ertegun's new tracks on the sound system.  
  
" Your style has gotten a lot softer... How should I put this?" Roddy mumbled.  
  
" It's still pretty much club music." Ertegun replied, taking a piece of Roddy's lemon cake onto his fork and letting it melt into his mouth.  
  
" Yeah, club music, sure, but I mean the bass is a lot less in your face like say in _Take Me Now_ compared to your older stuff like _The Greatest_."  
  
" Come on, Roddy, _The Greatest_ is my signature track." Ertegun sounded jokingly offended, but he and Roddy were just engaging in friendly banter and constructive feedback.  
  
" To be honest, I think your new tracks show your growth. _You love_ is such a gentle track that still remains club music appropriate. If the room isn't very high energy, it's nice to have this playing in the background. A lot of your new tracks are very mellowing and energizing, I feel. If that makes sense."  
  
Ertegun chuckled as he finished his last bite of cake.  
" I'm glad it makes the listener feel that way. After all, that's how I feel when I'm with you."  
  
" Th-that was your intention?"  
  
" I really have to thank those girls. And apologize properly. You didn't send them to me for no reason and I feel bad about rejecting them that day. But when I first heard _The Loneliest Girl_ for the first time, I was in tears. You know I was in a creative block for the next four months after that, right?"  
  
 _ **The Loneliest Girl**... That was performed on Mars' Brightest, the day I got arrested... That's a week after Tuesday's birthday, so... mid June... Then, throughout his bankruptcy from August to mid October... That's four months alright... So that means he didn't produce a single track until **Take Me Now** in October and he made **LIGHTS GO OUT** , as well, so that's two tracks at the same time. He must've really been on a roll when I pushed him.  
_  
" From Mars' Brightest until right before Cydonia, huh?" Roddy whispered as he took the last bite of his cake.  
  
With a press of a button, the convertible's roof descended and the two were bathed in the gentle, warm moonlight of Phobos. Ertegun slipped his right arm around Roddy, who came closer and cuddled up to him.  
  
" Carole and Tuesday made me realize what music needs to be. It has to be an expression of what's meaningful to me, the artist. Translating how I feel about you into a track and making people understand that feeling is exactly what I should be conveying." Ertegun felt a gentle kiss on his neck at that moment.  
  
" That's why you had those songs playing in the background at your party when no one was performing. You wanted your guests to feel like this. Although the songs were a beta version..." Roddy rested his hand on the older man's lap, tempted to lie down there and feel the warmth of his caress.  
  
" They all kind of follow suit after _Take Me Now_... They're comforting to hear, but something you can still dance to... That's the kind of music you make now. It's not like _The Greatest_ anymore, because it represents who you are right now ." Roddy ended up sliding down to lay down on Ertegun's lap anyways and tenderly caressed his cheek.  
  
" I fell for the old you, but I'm in love with the you that's in front of me now, Ertegun. And I'm glad this music represents you right now. You still have a lot to work on, but... I'm just glad I can see a version of you that's happy to make his music again."  
" It's all thanks to you that I can be this happy, Roddy..."  
" _Take Me Now_..."  
" Is that a music request or a physical one?"  
" Both."  
" Of course it is... But actually... I have another new track I need to show you. And it's even more appropriate now that I've had the interview. I made it last week. No one's listened to it yet."  
  
As Ertegun fiddles with the controls on the sound system of the vehicle and plugs his phone in to play his song.   
  
" It's called _Save Me_."  
  
It starts with light tapping sounds, an eagle screeching and then, keyboard notes pressed firmly in quarter notes, spaced out heavily between each other, with a gentle melody rapidly pittering away simultaneously in the background, the front notes' spacing between was reduced and what seemed like a drum beat or a gentle bass rythm started cementing the general sound of the track.  
 _  
" I, I daydream  
I been looking at what I wanna do  
I, ooh  
I, I am  
I'm still there, ooh, ooh, ooh...  
And I'll be...  
Can you save me, I, ooh, I'll be there...  
Can you save me, I'll be staying..._  
 _Can you save me, ooh, yeah, I'll be there..._  
 _Getting my new life..._ "  
  
The intense and somehow fast keyboard hits but slow bass rythm intertwined in perfect harmony. Throughout the changes and slight repetitions in the track, Roddy found himself tapping his feet to the beat and before he knew it, the song was over and another song started playing as the playlist carried on, but he reduced the volume so that they could talk.  
  
" Huh? That's all? I wanted more."  
" You enjoyed it that much?" Ertegun chuckled as he looked down upon his lover's face, moving his hair out of the left side of it, pinning it behind his ear."  
  
" I'm glad you like it, Roddy. I made so many of my new tracks while thinking of you. And this is really what I feel like I've needed... I needed to be making my music for someone. More than just for myself or the fans. It's you."  
  
Roddy repositioned himself to sit on Ertegun's lap and wrapped his arms around his shoulders as he pressed his lips against his. Ertegun parted his lips to let the younger man inside as he felt a slight tug on his head, coming from the programmer's fingers grasping at his silver hair, he felt Roddy's tongue mesh with his. Ertegun dragged the denim jacket off of him, briefly separating the two from one another before the redhead decided to take the black long sleeved shirt off of his boyfriend's muscular build, now noticing that the makeup he had applied to his neck earlier that day was wearing off, and he could see the markings he had left there the night before.  
  
" I'll mark you some more..." Roddy said, coming closer and sucking at the man's neck, almost vampire like. He felt a breeze hit his back, his turtleneck sweater was being pulled upwards with the large hands riding up in it, Ertegun pushed him back, Roddy leaned against the wheel, back arching as so not to hit the horn. The sweater was still on but Roddy held onto the bottom of it with his teeth to expose his nipples, allowing Ertegun to fondle one of them as he sucked onto the other, kissing it, and flicking it with his tongue.  
  
" Nnghahhh... Yes... More...!" Roddy sighed, and the man pleasuring him responded by using his free hand to unbutton and unzip his black jeans. Ertegun took Roddy's hardened member out of his pants and started stroking it as he played with both his nipples.  
  
Roddy felt his cock twitching uncontrollably in Ertegun's hand and his hips shaking, his back dripping sweat, his entire body, lit afire as one more squeeze shot a stream of white onto Ertegun's cheek. As he took his turtleneck off, tossing it onto the passenger seat, he stomped onto a lever on the side of the seat and the back rest of the driver's seat descended in a harsh drop, making him smother Ertegun in the process, wiping the residue on his cheek and swatting it off before making a trail of kisses from his forehead to his collarbone.  
  
Using the heel of his right shoe to take his left shoe off, and used his big toe to peel the right shoe off from the heel, he tore himself away from Ertegun to pull his pants off of himself and plunged into him again, engaging yet again in messy tongue play.  
  
They felt each other's hard-on rub together, only three pieces of cloth came between them: Ertegun's underwear, Ertegun's yellow trousers and Roddy's underwear, coated with a splash of cum and pre-cum, and even at that, it was only partially covering his dick, most of it was sticking out, since he had just received a hand job.   
  
The smaller man's waist and hips moved forward and moved in circular motions, his ass was now grinding onto his throbbing bulge, and the way he held him as his movements got more rythmic, it felt much like a close contact lap dance, hell, both of them knew the DJ has gotten many of those over the years, but minus the artificial setting, factoring in the ambience of the moonlight and his feelings towards the person doing this to him right at this moment, this was the best lap dance he's ever had.   
  
There was some deep bass lines playing in the music they left on and Roddy matched his movements to the beat, exciting Ertegun all the more. If he got any more erect, his pants would get torn to shreds, so naturally, he tried to take them off, but Roddy interrupted, wanting to do it himself. He lowered himself inch by inch to the beat, showering him with kisses from his lips to his navel, clasping the zipper of the trousers between his teeth to drag it down and using his lips to unbutton it. Roddy slipped his hands into the golden yellow suit pants to slowly and gently slide them off.  
  
" I'm growing impatient, Roddy..."  
" Don't worry... We'll get there."  
It stung a bit for Ertegun to hear him be the one to delay what they've both been waiting for; the tables were turned and Roddy was completely in control.  
He kissed the pulsing erection over the underwear, looking up at his love's emerald eyes as he started pulling his underwear off.  
  
Face to face with his boyfriend's throbbing erection, he realized it was much bigger than his own face, making him almost, just _almost_ , have second thoughts about taking it all inside of him. However, Roddy's come this far and wouldn't let size stop him from getting the full sexual experience with the man he desired most in the entire universe. He kissed his tip, then started sucking it, sliding it into his mouth and started bobbing his head as he sucked, moaning to cause a vibrating sensation in his orifice, as he'd go down, his lips could only reach halfway, because going any further would cause him to choke, but as he pulled his lips to the glans, Roddy's tongue would circle around the head, before sucking only the tip for a second and taking it halfway in all over again, while moaning harder, louder and in a more unrestrained manner, doing this over and over again, the taste of Ertegun's pre-cum intensifying everytime he got back to the tip, feeling his cock throb more and more inside his throat. The DJ's hips shook, he threw his head back, digging his nails into the seat and arched his back as he went over the edge.  
  
" R-Roddy...! I'm... About... To...! I'll cum! Oh god, Roddy, I'll cum...!" Those words rang in the young programmer's ears, along with his groan and soon, he felt his throat coated in Ertegun's seed.  
  
As Ertegun tried to catch his breath, he ruffled Roddy's hair and smiled lovingly at him.  
  
" What's gotten into you today?" He asked as Roddy climbed up on him again, receiving a brief kiss in the meantime.  
  
" Nothing yet, but you're about to." Roddy gave Ertegun another kiss, this time, on his forehead.  
  
" You're just so enthusiastic today. Much more than usual."  
" What do you mean? I'm always this horny, don't act surprised..."   
" I mean, you got really... Exponentially better at fellatio literally overnight. And you said you've never given anyone else one before."  
" I learned from the best." Roddy smirked as he started playing with Ertegun's hair, running his fingers through them lovingly.  
  
" I'm really good at watching and learning. You didn't spend all that time on your knees for nothing."   
" Yeah, I can understand that, but that lap dance you did for me..."  
" What of it?" Roddy's eyes glimmered and he had a mischievious grin on his face. Ertegun paused to stroke Roddy's cheek with his left hand, to which Roddy responded by taking that hand and kissing his wrist, where the cooling wrap on his arm started to cover his fresh tattoo.  
  
" That lap dance... I didn't even know you _could dance_."  
" H-hey! I've danced before! In fact, I danced for a music video!"  
" Oh? And where is this video?"  
" Ahh... It never got released, but..." Roddy was almost examining Ertegun's covered arm as he made a line of kisses up it "...the way I danced for you just a while ago, was purely inspired by your music."  
  
Ertegun felt his heart beat harder, he sighed and slipped his arms around Roddy's slender waist, resting his chin on his left shoulder.  
  
" You really are... The most capable man I know..." Ertegun placed a tender kiss on Roddy's shoulder blade, holding him tighter in his embrace.  
  
" So, Ertegun... Let's cut to the chase... You said you'd do anything I want?"  
" I know what you want."  
Roddy smiled and chuckled at this change of pace.  
  
" Let's go to the back seat... So you can make love to me properly... All the way."  
  
" But first," Ertegun said slipping his hands down to Roddy's ass, tearing down his underwear "...let me get rid of these." He tossed them to the passenger seat as the man on top of his got up to move into the back, waiting for Ertegun to join him.  
  
Roddy knew it'd be better in the back, mind the pun, since Ertegun had great sexual endurance and liked to constantly change positions, it would be easier for them to move around without the shift stick or the driver's wheel in the way.   
  
As Ertegun climbed into the back to sit down, and he saw Roddy rummaging through the shopping bag below the seat. They had only placed one there and the others were in the trunk of the car. He chose an oil based lubricant to drizzle onto Ertegun's hardened cock, stroking it a few times before climbing onto him, letting his shaft slide between his asscheeks, coating his entrance with lube. He let the tip prod at his entrance and leaned in to kiss Ertegun before letting him in.  
" Hold on," he slid his hands onto Roddy's lower back, "... you're letting me in just like that?" Roddy was confused by the sudden expression of cold feet.  
  
" Come on, you know I'm impatient..."  
" Hold on..."   
Using his left hand, Ertegun ran two fingers along his shaft, picking up some lube before poking at Roddy's hole, gliding right in.  
  
" Mmmph! Ertegun... I... Hope you don't intend to... Weasel out of this..."  
" I've never been this hard in my life... I wouldn't dare..."  
" Aahhh!" With that scream, he knew he hit the prostate and started aiming for it vigorously as he slid a second finger in. The way he hit it was so intense, his movements bordered on being described as violent. Roddy's screams of pleasure became distorted as his voice, his hips, his shoulders trembled as he held on to Ertegun, digging his nails into his shoulder blades. Roddy felt like his prostate was being assaulted with the speed of the thrusts and felt so much excitement that he knew a hands-free ejaculation was to come up from his part.  
  
" Erteguuuuun!! I'm going to cum! I'm going to cum! I'm going to---"  
  
 _And pause_.  
  
 _What? No. No! Why'd he stop! I'm on the edge! Damn it! He's torturing me_!   
  
" I think you're ready, now, Roddy..." He kissed his earlobe and tugged it gently with his teeth before exhaling into it, triggering all erogenous zones in his upper body.  
  
" Show me how you'd ride me. You can take over from here."  
  
 _Finally... Finally, finally finally! He's getting inside me! I lifted myself up and let his tip poke at my entrance, I could feel the gluey texture of the lube, I could hear it squishing as I rubbed my rim against his tip, I hold on to his shoulders, and as I pushed, his glans only grazed against me and I somehow wouldn't open up. Using his hands, he grabs me and spreads me out, making it easier to enter.  
  
Normally, if I'd taken this in without ever doing anal play, it would have paralyzed me and I wouldn't be able to move at all, but it's different. For nearly three months, he's been doing these things to prepare me for this very moment...  
_  
" Roddy..." Ertegun whispered in a strained voice as the tip went in, throwing his head back, feeling so good, he could barely look his partner in the eye. Roddy relaxed his rectum as he felt his lover plunge in slowly, bit by bit, until he was all the way inside of Roddy, whose hips were shaking, jittery.   
_  
No, I'm not shaking... I'm calm, relaxed, even if I'm feeling intense pleasure from the force my prostate just withstood._  
  
In actuality, Ertegun was the one whose hips were quivering, barely containing himself. And although Roddy wasn't, he felt euphoric and at ease, almost as if he just had a dry orgasm, but that wasn't the case. When it processed in his mind that he had all of Ertegun's large, thick shaft all the way inside of him, his cravings for motions to stimulate his prostate further grew stronger. Now that he accepted the full lenght inside of him, he was ready to acknowledge that this entire time, he felt calm thanks to his breathing, which was slightly heavy, although it took him this much time to realize that he had quite a lewd look on his face, one where his eyes dreamily gazed upon what was going on below, mouth open wide, through which he was panting, tongue slightly sticking out in a shamelessly wanton manner, he looked as if he was about to devour the man impaling him.  
  
" R-Roddy... A-amazing... You're so.... Mngh...tight...!" He groaned as he held onto Roddy's ass tighter. Roddy pulled off just slightly and slammed right back down to the base of his cock, making Ertegun react, letting out a scream as he felt himself tipping over the edge. Roddy took pleasure in knowing that he, himself was now more in control and showing the bigger man the kind of pleasures he was subjected to up until now. Although, he struggled to keep himself in check because of how deep he was being penetrated, every hit his prostate took was an assault to his senses, creating a buzz to his brain that no longer drove him insane and inebriated, but hungry, starving and addicted to the high of sexual stimulus.  
  
" Ahhhn!! Ertegun...! You feel so much better than any toy! You've been so cruel, keeping this from me...." Roddy's hand slipped to Ertegun's jaw, cupping his face in his hands as he planted multiple kisses on his lips, wrapping his arms around his head, the older man's face buried into the younger one's neck. Roddy's words were jumbled in Ertegun's mind as he tried to process the intense pressure around his cock, which didn't compare to any blowjob or handjob he's ever had, and after such a long period of abstinence from intercourse, he knew there was no more turning back from this pleasure, and it was especially intense at the moment, with him on the edge so early on. Roddy was moving his waist in circular motions, grinding it harder into his prostate as he bit his lower lip, halting his shivering moans, trying to keep himself from reaching an early climax.  
  
Ertegun was about to wrap his arms around Roddy, and the smaller man knew what was about to happen, but didn't let it go there. He threw himself to the side, reaching for the shopping bag and took out the pair of handcuffs, opening them and clasping one onto Ertegun's right wrist before grabbing his left and linking them together.  
  
" C-come on, Roddy... Why do this? We were just getting started!" Ertegun whined desperately as he gave him those sad puppy dog eyes.  
  
" I'm punishing you for all those months you kept this pleasure away from me." Roddy lifted his hands to rest behind the head rest of the seat, now wrapping his arms around Ertegun's neck and coming closer, nuzzling him as he giggled.  
  
" You said we'd do _what I wanted_ tonight. And I want... To do the things you said you craved..." He started moving his hips, bouncing on and off of Ertegun's shaft, forcefully squeezing him as tight as he could, hands on his back, and as he felt the thick member within him stretch him near past his limit, he dug his nails into the muscular man's center back, marking him all the way to his deltoids, causing a stinging, yet pleasurable pain in the older man, not to mention the restraint forcing his hands to stay behind his head, making him continuously flex his muscles, forcing strain on his foreceps and triceps that he'd feel during an intense workout.   
  
Roddy's hips thrusted faster and faster, hitting his sweet spot like he'd spam a special attack button, relishing in the addictiveness of it as his lips gently tugged onto his boyfriend's earring and the back of his tongue ran down his neck, biting into his shoulder to trigger a most pleasurable jolt in him that called to his masochistic tendencies.  
  
" Roddy! Mmngahhhh! I'll cum!" Ertegun yelled as he felt his cock twitch inside of his slender lover, whose ass slammed down three more times before feeling him twinge more intensely, and that's when he felt Ertegun's body violently convulse beneath him, unloading his semen into him, thrusting upwards and screaming his name among with groans of relief, echoing into Roddy's ear.  
  
Roddy also came, and did so all over Ertegun's stomach, coating his rock hard abs in spunk.   
  
Although they both came for a second time, this was only the beginning of their night. Roddy lifted Ertegun's wrists from behind the seat, letting his hands rest in front of him.  
  
" So... What do you think?" Roddy asked shyly, looking down at Ertegun's cuffed wrists.  
  
" I think I was right... Relinquishing all control to you... Is pretty hot..."  
Ertegun started stroking Roddy's erection regardless of his restraints, but was stopped, " There's something else I'd like you to do first." He said, commandingly, stopping his hands and giving him a small peck on the lips.  
  
As he got up, he felt Ertegun's thick member slide gently out of him, for a few seconds, he felt a draft in his gaping hole as it spilled some seed out of it before it slowly closed back up. However, it wouldn't stop dripping.  
  
" I need you, Ertegun..." he begged, leaning against the door and sticking his waist out. "...I need you to clean me up... Use your tongue like you always do."  
Roddy suddenly felt a shift, Ertegun got on all fours on the seat and started licking the semen dripping to the scrotum, all the way up to the rim.  
  
All Roddy could hear were the slurping sounds along with Ertegun's moans, eating him out as if he were savouring one of the sweets he loved to scarf down so much. Roddy used only one hand to lean against the door as he used his other to stroke himself, fapping furiously, just barely believing that earlier this year, all he could ever hope to do was steal his boss' t-shirts to sniff them while masturbating, and now, he was the one telling him what to do, ordering him around when it came to sexual matters. As his strokes got firmer and rougher, the tongue stimulating his anus got sloppier and more invasive, almost just inching into him, making his entire body squirm and shiver before ejaculating all over the door, instinctively screaming Ertegun's name accompanied by guttural shrieks of nirvanic proportions.  
  
Roddy let himself cool down for a minute after another intense orgasm, waiting to stop shaking from it. Once he calmed down, he turned around and embraced Ertegun, who was unable to return the hug because of his handcuffs, so he did what he could and held Roddy by cupping his face in his hands.  
Roddy plunged in for a kiss and fished for his tongue, and Ertegun took the invitation for tongue play with great appreciation. It aroused him all the more that Roddy was settling into his dominant role quite well and that he was in restraints, not knowing what came next.  
  
After exploring each other's mouths passionately, as if it were the first time, even if it was far from, the larger man felt the smaller one's arms slip away and reach down for the shopping bag, pulling out a chain and a leather strap.  
  
" If you're into handcuffs, I know you'd at the very least, not likely to be opposed to _this_."   
  
The strap went around the older man's neck, tied together with a buckle, and the chain dangled down. It was pretty much a leash and collar.  
  
" Be my lapdog, _Johnny boy_." Roddy spoke in a completely out of character, low growl that was commanding and ever so erotic, he was completely hypnotized by the idea of his role as a Dom, to the point where he'd use Ertegun's legal first name, disregarding his mononymous moniker as a means of degradation.   
  
There was a dark glimmer in Roddy's amber eyes he caught a glimpse of, which made him elated, because that was a sign that he was genuinely enjoying himself and not doing this just because Ertegun asked him to. Before he knew it, he was on his knees, on all fours begging the younger man to enslave him.  
  
" So, _Johnny boy_ , are you ready for your next treat?" He whispered in his ear from behind, lightly yanking the chain as he licked the back of Ertegun's ear, leaving a trail of saliva down to the nape of his neck, before creating a path of hickeys on from there, all the way down his spine, and with each kiss that left behind a love mark, the redhead made a nice, audible popping sound with his lips, sending aroused shivers across Ertegun's erogenous zone that was his entire back.  
  
All of a sudden, he felt a poke at his anus. Without him noticing, Roddy had pulled a toy out of the bag and was shoving it into Ertegun's moist entrance. He moaned softly as the large anal plug gently popped in slowly, brushing against his gland.  
  
" Now, I want you inside of me again. Can you do that for me?" Roddy asked, in a rather forceful tone as Ertegun nodded and smiled dreamily at him.  
  
" What do you say? I don't think you want it enough." He teased as he backed away.  
  
" L-let me... Please _allow_ me to fuck your ass." Ertegun whimpered under shallow breaths, almost panting like a thirsty dog.  
  
" Good boy, now turn around."  
  
He turned to see Roddy on his back, legs closed together, up in an L pose.  
  
" Come here... Come to me." He urged, as Ertegun moved closer, Roddy grabbed the chain using his foot so that he could reach the chain with his right hand without needing to move more.  
  
" Men in power... Love to cede control. Men like you... Love losing all their power for the night." This line of reasoning that Roddy had just summarized is the logic behind Ertegun's kink and brought the taboo of their professional relationship to surface. Was it really all that wrong if the employer in this scenario wanted his employee to step all over him and take all his power?  
  
Roddy tugged roughly at the collar around Ertegun's neck to get him to press against him as soon as possible by opening up his legs to get the other man in between them, grappling, trapping, locking him in between crossed legs over his waist.  
Roddy undid the handcuffs and dropped them on the floor. Grabbing the chain to pull Ertegun closer by his collar, they started kissing again, but only so briefly before breaking free.  
  
" Come in... Get in me..."  
Ertegun moved his hips, aiming his member at Roddy's entrance, slipping in much easier than he did before, but feeling it was just as tight.  
  
" Ahh... Yes...! Deeper! Thrust into me as hard and as fast as you can...! Let yourself go wild!"  
Immediately obeying, the man on top thrusted all the way in, crushing Roddy's sweet spot as if he were trying to obliterate it.  
  
" Nnghhh!!! Yes...!!! Amazing! Just like tha--- Ahhhn!" Interrupted by even harder thrusts, Roddy felt a pleasure even more intense than before. Being at the bottom felt better and more intense than being impaled on Ertegun's giant cock and nonchalantly bouncing on and off of it, not necessarily because of the position, but because as a smaller man, he weighed next to nothing, all while Ertegun, who was nearly half a foot taller and very muscular, weighed so much more than him, and all that weight added much more impact when hitting his spot, thrusting all of Ertegun's weight and force in with his large lenght and width. This pleasure incited Roddy to squeeze harder than he ever believed he could, clamping onto his lover's lenght in response, making him need to plow him harder, become more forceful, putting more effort into forcing his way inside, becoming a sort of battle that took place between their lower halves.  
  
Both men threw each other into a wild frenzy of sweaty, mind numbing and body recoiling spasms of ecstasy, their screams of pleasure, their declarations of love and Ertegun screaming Roddy's name in a tone that begged to be held tighter as his voice cracked, and as they kept bringing each other to the edge, each other's voice echoed in their heads, in the clearing in these outskirts where anyone could drive by to see them screwing each other's brains out off the side of the road. They were feeling so good that Ertegun lost focus and slowed down his pace against Roddy's wishes, resulting in him letting out a dissatisfied whine as he clenched the chain leash harder.  
  
" No...! Don't... Don't you dare... ever slow down! Faster! Harder! Plow me...! Pummel me! Inseminate me, Ertegun...!" Roddy's orders, his commands, his cries of pleasure caused Ertegun's deepest plunge into him yet, burying his member so far up his rectum and filling him with semen even deeper than that. As both released guttural screams from their diaphragms, Ertegun arched his back, distancing his upper body away from the man beneath him. Simultaneously, Roddy threw his head back and as he started ejaculating, he clenched his jaw, his mind buzzed and his eyes rolled back, not knowing which way was up anymore because his brain was spinning as if he got drunk, or even plastered on sexual pleasure.  
  
While the flow of Ertegun's spilling slowed down, Roddy opened up his other hand, the one that didn't hold the leash, which was clenched up until now, revealing that he held the remote to the vibrating anal plug inside his boyfriend. As he pressed it, he felt Ertegun fill him up with an additional load, the vibrations pushed him to simultaneously continue plowing him as he was cumming, driving both of them to an intense insane state of continuous orgasm, in which they lost all sense of time. Not knowing for how long they had reached the summit and basked in this nirvana of sexual pleasure, they waited out their bodily convulsions, to physically run out of steam. Once they did, and only tired breaths escaped their lips, Ertegun's stupefied state of bliss made him collapse onto Roddy as he breathed heavily into his ear.   
  
Roddy wrapped his arms around Ertegun, satisfied and dreamy-eyed, comforting his lover in the exhausted state he was in. At this point, he turned off the vibrator and dropped the remote aside.  
  
" Hahhh... Roddy... Is it just me or am I getting old?"  
" No. That was pretty amazing, you were giving it to me for a pretty long time, I'd say. Plus, I did make you do most of the work."  
He wasn't even saying so just to make him feel better. He genuinely had an amazing sex drive and sexual endurance for a man his age.  
  
" You know, times like these make it easy to forget our age difference." Roddy sighed.  
  
" Yeah? Why is that?"  
" You have so much libido. I can tell we'll be at the same pace for a long time."  
" You know, after we rest, I still want to go a few more rounds right here, plus a few more when we get to bed."  
" I expected to."  
Roddy smiled as he started twirling Ertegun's hair, fiddling with the ends.  
  
" If you play with my hair like that right after talking about my age, you'll make me feel old."  
" Because it's grey?" Roddy teased in a sing-along tone.  
" Silver!" Ertegun snapped back, defensively as Roddy laughed at him.  
" Just kidding!" He replied with a smile, kissing the older man's forehead.  
  
" Hey, Roddy, there's something I've been meaning to give you..." Roddy pouted at him.  
  
" I don't want an expensive gift." He mumbled.  
" H-hey don't assume that! It's far from expensive! It was free! I mean, it's not worth any money..."  
Roddy held back a snicker and smirked at him.  
" Well, that doesn't sound too good either."  
" I'm serious, Roddy. Now, don't get the wrong impression, but..."  
  
Ertegun took the golden ring off of his pinky finger and took Roddy's hand to slip it onto his thumb.  
Roddy blushed madly.  
  
" Huh? Wh-what? Wh-why did you give me _that_?!" Roddy freaked out by the sudden gesture, feeling overwhelmed with an immense sensation of heaviness upon his heart.  
  
" I said, don't get the wrong impression."  
" What else am I supposed to think if you give me a ring?!" Roddy's voice got all high pitched and panicky, making his blushing face overheat on top of that.  
  
" You see, now that the world knows we're dating... I don't need that." He said softly, looking away from Roddy for just a few seconds.  
  
" A ring on that finger means you're not interested in marriage. And if I'm with you, I can see _that_ as a possibility." His eyes roamed towards Roddy's, who was wide eyed and entranced by this change in the man he knew for years.  
  
" I said it was a _possibility_ , don't freak out or anything..."  
  
Roddy glanced at the ring on his thumb, distancing his hand and examining it from afar.  
  
" Huh... So if putting it on your pinky means that you're opposed to marriage, what does it mean when you put it on your thumb?" He wondered as he gazed upon his new accessory.  
  
" It means you have small hands and it won't fit anywhere else."  
" H-hey!" Roddy yelled as Ertegun laughed at him.  
  
" That's for the comment about my hair!" He teased as Roddy sighed at him.  
" Fair enough."  
" No, but really, Roddy... Thumb rings mean... You're a powerful man. And as the most capable man I know, it suits you."   
" Huh... Is that really what it means?"  
" It's debatable, some people say it's for homosexuals, indicating whether you're taken or not depending on which hand you put it on."  
" Which is which?"  
" Hell if I remember." The two of them shared a laugh as Ertegun nuzzled up to him and kissed his right cheek.  
  
" So, about this ring... Really, how much?"  
" No idea. My father said it belonged to my mother. It's the only thing I had of her, really."  
" Hmm... So you didn't pay a fortune for this... I guess I can accept _this_ gift." He brought his slender fingers to Ertegun's hair, combing through it before caressing him gently.  
  
" Although, Roddy, the next time I give you one, and it won't be for a long time... I'll buy it. But don't let that be the reason you reject it. For now, let's avoid using that m-word."  
Roddy nodded at his statement, smiling earnestly at him.  
  
" Agreed. We did say we'd take it slow... Also, because the only things I want to hear from you right now and for a long while are _I love you_."  
" Likewise..."   
  
In the cool breeze of the Martian night, amidst the sounds of the night and the bass tremors of Ertegun's music playing at a low volume, under the darkness yet in the dim light of Alba city in the distance, they rested in each other's embrace.   
  
Ertegun and Roddy shared a tender kiss beneath the gentle light of Phobos, Deimos, Earth and the stars, completely ready for what the future had in store for them.  
  
 _I love you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you read 'till the end! I hope you liked it! 
> 
> That was my first AO3 fanfic/First Carole & Tuesday fanfic.
> 
> Written in my second language. Eventually, I might try to post in my third and my fourth language, but for now, I'll try to work on an Ertegun X Roddy doujinshi for as long as the world is in quarantine mode. Stay safe!


End file.
